Please, DON'T pass the salt!

New Product – Swanson UNSALTED Cooking Stocks

2011-09-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

My husband is getting some painful dental procedures done this week, so I wanted to buy some “soft” foods for him. I picked up some carrots and summer squash at the farmers market this weekend. I plan to grate them and cook in some broth. I also bought two dozen eggs at the farmers market. I can envision a lot of scrambled egg meals this week.

But I still needed to go grocery shopping yesterday to get potatoes for mashing, pastina, cottage cheese, and tuna. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get everything at one store. First I went to my favorite grocery store where I picked up a carton of Daisy Cottage Cheese. Its sodium content is fairly low when compared to other brands of cottage cheese, just 360 mgs sodium per ½ cup. I also picked up a package of Healthy Ones Honey Smoked Turkey Breast. With 290 mgs sodium per oz., I figured I could finely chop up the thin slices and gussy up scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, and even cottage cheese. And, of course, I picked up a couple of frozen packages of Amy’s Light in Sodium Macaroni and Cheese.

For some reason, I wandered over to the soup aisle. I checked out the broths just to make sure the store still stocked Kitchen Basics unsalted Chicken and Beef stocks. While I was checking out the Kitchen Basics, my eyes drifted down to some containers of Swanson cooking stock. Usually, I don’t bother with Swanson products. Even the supposedly low sodium chicken stock packs a walloping 570 mgs sodium per cup. However, this time my eyes caught something that looked like the word, “UNSALTED.” I did a double take because I was sure my eyes were playing tricks on me. But upon careful examination, I realized that Swanson had indeed come out with unsalted Chicken and unsalted Beef stock. Amazing! I checked the nutritional information and was astounded to find that the chicken stock has only 130 mgs sodium per cup and the beef has 140 mgs per cup. Of course, I bought two containers each of both chicken and beef stock.

This is great news because Swanson has long been the premier supplier of grocery store broth and stock. Their products always taste good and stores are more inclined to stock products from the Campbell’s/Swanson family.

I headed over to Safeway to complete my shopping trip. There I picked up two loaves of Safeway Kitchens Very Low Sodium Multi-Grain Bread. It has only 5 mgs sodium for two slices and is very soft and not grainy at all. Perfect for a hurting mouth. (Yes, I usually do all our baking, but it’s been too hot to turn on the oven and flat breads like tortillas require too much chewing. I figure I can cut the crusts off and the squishy bread will be fine for a sore mouth.) Then I got a container of Lucerne (Safeway’s house brand) No Salt Added Cottage Cheese. It has only 45 mgs sodium per ½ cup. Unfortunately, it tastes like wet chalk to me! But by combining it with equal amounts of the Daisy cottage cheese, the taste is improved and the sodium content is cut to about 200 mgs per half cup. I also picked up a couple cans of Bumblebee Very Low Sodium Tuna. I figured I could smush up some tuna and mayo for a lunch time treat.

With all my shopping done, I headed home. I was excited about the Swanson stock find, so I immediately wanted to share the news. I tried finding the product on the Swanson website. No luck. In fact the only references I could find were nutritional information on the My Fitness Pal and the Live Strong websites, and an online site for Hannaford, a chain of grocery stores located on the East coast. Unfortunately, I can’t point you to a website. All I can do is encourage you to look for this product.

I tried it yesterday when cooking some thinly sliced potatoes in a skillet. It has a very mild chickeny taste, but there are no off flavors and it isn’t cloudy or murky. All in all, I think it’s a good product. It certainly cannot compare with homemade broth that has simmered for hours upon hours. But it’s a viable quick substitute, and, because it’s a Swanson product, should become readily available in most grocery stores.

Time to Shred Cheese

2011-09-01T13:14:00.001-07:00

For those of us following a low sodium diet, there are a lot of things we stock in the freezer to make our cooking lives easier. For me, one of those things is cheese. Every few months I have a cheese shredding marathon. I don’t use a lot of cheese in my cooking because of its high sodium content, but I like to have it on hand.

Since I don’t want to waste cheese by having it spoil before I get around to using it all up, I like to freeze homemade pre-shredded cheese. The advantage to shredding your own cheese is that you can choose the lowest sodium cheese available. Also, you avoid the additives, preservatives, and grittiness of most packaged pre-shredded cheese. From the Sargento website:

“Natamycin is a food grade mold inhibitor that’s manufactured from natural sources… Natamycin has been used in the food industry for more than 20 years… Our research with the use of natamycin shows that we can reduce the ch
ance of cheese molding before the package is opened and extend the freshness of the cheese after opening the package.

“Powdered cellulose is a… naturally occurring component of most plants. It won’t absorb moisture because of its fibrous, non-gel structure. When added to shredded cheese, cellulose prevents the cheese from sticking together. Calcium carbonate and potato starch are also natural ingredients…”

Another advantage to having a good supply of shredded cheese in your freezer is that you can quickly dress up your low sodium dishes. Want to perk up some cooked vegetables? A generous sprinkling of garlic-flavored breadcrumbs, topped with a dusting of shredded Parmesan will do the trick. Or maybe your casserole looks a little blah. It only takes a sparse topping of cheese to make that dull casserole shine. You’d be amazed how a sprinkling of cheese can enhance a dish and make it look (and taste) better.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking about the ½ inch layer of melted cheese you sometimes get on dishes at Mexican or Italian restaurants. That would definitely be sodium overload. But a sprinkling of cheese can make the difference between an interesting dish and a boring, ho-hum dish. Always remember that if your food is unappealing, you will have a harder time staying on your low sodium diet. Food needs to taste good, but it also needs visual appeal and textural interest. Adding a few cheese shreds fulfills all three needs: a little taste of cheese can certainly make many dishes more flavorful; melted cheese shreds add an attractive topping for almost any dish; and cheese shreds combined with breadcrumbs or nuts add a nice crunch. Depending on how long and at what temperature you cook a dish, cheese shreds can get either toasty & crunchy or melty & gooey.

I have some regulars that I always shred: sharp cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, and Parmesan. I look for the lowest sodium cheeses I can find when I’m ready for a marathon. I can usually find good quality cheese at Costco and Trader Joe’s. However, if I’m not in the mood to travel to go shopping, I’ll pick up what I can at my local grocery stores.

I use my Cuisinart Pro Custom 11 Food Processor. It came with a medium shredding disk, but I ordered a fine grating disk specifically for Parmesan. The food processor makes grating cheese so easy and quick.

I usually start with the Parm, and then process any other white cheeses. If I’m grating cheddar, I’ll save that for last. This time I used a new cheese, smoked mozzarella. In the past, I’ve only been able to get smoked fresh mozzarella. It’s good tasting but very soft and difficult to slice. I found Rumiano smoked mozzarella at a local grocery store. It had a firmer texture and seemed like it would hold up to shredding. I think the meltiness of mozzarella combined with the rich, smoky flavor will be a nice addition to all kinds of dishes.

When I’m done grating each cheese, I pour the shreds into a freezer bag and label it. I flatten the bag so the cheese doesn’t freeze into one giant clump. Then whenever I want a quick topping, I grab a handful. Having the pre-shredded cheese available keeps me from overdoing cheese consumption. I must admit that I can get pretty lazy. For instance, if I thought a vegetable dish needed the added oomph of cheese, I’d more than likely just quickly cut some cheese slices rather than resort to getting out the hand grater. Using cheese slices would invariably lead to using more cheese than is proper for a low sodium dish. So having pre-shredded cheese in the freezer helps keep me on the straight and narrow.

Rice-A-Roni Salad

2011-07-15T10:32:00.001-07:00

This is another old timey summer salad I discovered years ago. It’s perfect for potlucks, barbecues, and family meals. It’s another salad that can easily be made ahead and transported.

You can find many recipes available on the internet including the Rice-A-Roni website. Most recipes start with a package of cooked chicken flavored Rice-A-Roni. Chopped green onions, water chestnuts, and marinated artichoke hearts are added along with a generous portion of mayonnaise. The whole thing is then mixed together and chilled.

As with most recipes that use grocery store items, the salad can be high in sodium. The Rice-A-Roni, marinated artichokes, and mayonnaise combine to produce a dish that is not low sodium at all. But creating a low sodium version is really quite easy.

The first obstacle to tackle is the rice. There are basically two ways to go: use the lower sodium version of Rice-A-Roni or make your own salt-free chicken flavored rice. A 2.5 oz. serving size of the low sodium Rice-A-Roni gives you 670 mgs. sodium. That may be lower than the regular product at 1060 mgs. sodium, but it’s still a lot. If you use the lower sodium version, I suggest that you add at least ¼ - ⅓ cup plain white rice and adjust the water accordingly.

It’s a lot easier to just make your own rice. If you really want to duplicate the taste of chicken flavored Rice-A-Roni, do NOT use canned or homemade chicken broth. You need to use something like Herb Ox sodium-free bouillon granules. That’s the flavor secret to Rice-A-Roni. Real chicken broth may be superior for other applications but not for duplicating the Rice-A-Roni experience. I usually make a cup of white rice flavored with three (3) packets of the Herb Ox sodium-free granules.

On to the marinated artichokes hearts. CaraMia artichoke hearts have 105 mgs. sodium for just 2 pieces while Mezzetta brand has 80 mgs. Considering that the salad recipe calls for the entire jar of artichoke heart pieces (and some of the marinade), those figures are a bit too high for anyone on a low sodium diet. One way to get around the problem is to rinse and drain the artichoke hearts well before adding them to the salad. In case you’re wondering, plain canned artichoke hearts are not much better. The best solution is to make your own version using frozen artichokes hearts. C & W has a fine frozen product as does Trader Joe’s. Cook the frozen artichokes according to package directions and reserve some of the cooking water for the marinade. If you read the labels of all the different marinated artichoke heart brands, the marinade ingredient list is the same: water, oil, vinegar, salt, garlic, spices, ascorbic and citric acid. So all you need to do is make a watery, sour vinaigrette and let the artichoke pieces soak for a couple of hours or even overnight.

Finally, don’t use all mayonnaise for the dressing. Combine equal parts mayonnaise and sour cream. And use some of your homemade vinaigrette to further moisten the salad.

This is one of those salads that lends itself to all kinds of variations and adjustments. You can add cooked chicken or shrimp to make it a main dish salad. Chopped bell pepper – green or red – would be a nice addition as would toasted slivered or sliced almonds. For even more crunch, you could add sliced celery. Sun dried tomato pieces would add color and flavor as well. Some recipes call for curry powder – anywhere from ¼ tsp. to a full teaspoon.

It can easily be made a day in advance and kept chilled until serving. So it’s a perfect make-ahead salad when company is expected.

Here’s my version:

Low Sodium “Rice-A-Roni” Salad

Artichoke Hearts:

1 package frozen artichoke hearts

¼ cup light flavored vegetable oil

2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. vinegar (clear colored)

2 tbsp. artichoke cooking water

1 clove garlic, minced

Pinch dried, crushed red pepper

Pinch dried oregano

Cook frozen artichoke hearts according to package directions. Drain well, reserving cooking water. Place artichokes in bowl. Combine oil, lemon juice, artichoke water, garlic, red pepper, & oregano. Pour marinade over artichoke hearts. Let soak for at least two hours to overnight.

Rice:

1 cup white rice

1 tbsp. butter/oil

2-2 ¼ cups water

3 packets salt- free chicken flavored bouillon granules

1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes

Sauté rice in butter over medium heat until it turns a golden brown. Add water and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to a slow simmer. Add bouillon granules and parsley flakes, stirring to incorporate. Let rice cook covered for at least 20 minutes until tender and all the water has been absorbed. Take pan off heat and let rice cool.

Salad:

2-4 green onions, chopped

1 8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts (salt free)

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sour cream (low fat works well)

Drain artichokes, reserving marinade. Cut large pieces in half. Combine cooled rice, drained artichokes, green onions, and water chestnuts. Mix together mayonnaise and sour cream and at least ¼ cup of reserved marinade. Pour over rice mixture and toss until well mixed. Add more marinade if needed. Cover tightly and chill before serving. (Reserve leftover marinade just in case the salad needs further moistening after chilling.)

Options:

1-2 cups cooked chicken (chopped or cut in thin strips) or shrimp

¼ - ⅓ cup thinly sliced celery

¼ - ⅓ cup chopped green or red pepper

¼ - ⅓ cup toasted slivered or sliced almonds

¼ - ⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes, julienned or chopped

¼ - 1 tsp. curry powder (added to mayonnaise mixture)

24 Hour Salad

2011-06-21T13:28:00.000-07:00

I’ve been intrigued by this salad for years but too hesitant to actually break down and make it. Finally last Thanksgiving, I decided to give it a try. I must say I was pleasantly surprised. It turned out to be not only quite tasty but easy to put together and a perfect make-ahead salad. What sets 24 Hour Salad apart from other make-ahead salads is that it is lettuce based. Usually lettuce salads do not keep well, but the way this salad is composed takes care of that problem.

The lettuce portion is placed on the bottom of a bowl. The other salad ingredients are layered on top of the lettuce, and the whole thing is covered with a thick mayonnaise-based dressing layer. The mayo topping provides an "air-tight" seal that prevents the vegetables underneath from getting soggy. Believe it or not, the lettuce stays crispy sitting overnight at the bottom of the bowl underneath all the other ingredients. That’s why it can successfully be made ahead.

You can find all kinds of versions and recipes online. Sometimes it’s called “Deep Dish Layered Salad” or “Seven (or Eight) Layer Salad.” When I make it, I combine parts of several recipes. The proportions can be adjusted depending on how many are being served. Also, ingredients can be changed according to personal preferences. I’ve made it several times since Thanksgiving and am always pleased with the results. It’s perfect for company because I can fix it the day before. It’s a great take-along dish too. If I have leftovers, they are just as good the next day.

The biggest problem with the salad is that it contains several ingredients that can be high in sodium. To make a lower sodium version, I don’t use straight mayonnaise in the dressing. Instead, I use equal parts mayo and sour cream. If you make your own salt-free mayonnaise, the results will be even lower in sodium. For the grated cheese layer, I use equal parts sharp cheddar and naturally lower sodium Swiss cheese. And I don’t use as much cheese as many recipes call for. For an even lower sodium count, use all Swiss cheese. You could even use the new Sargento Shredded Reduced Sodium Mild Cheddar Cheese. Finally, although I do use bacon, it’s only four slices of the low sodium variety. Here’s my recipe:

24 Hour Salad

1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped (Iceberg lettuce is traditional because it retains its crispness, but Romaine would probably work well too.)

Fresh baby spinach leaves, stems removed (Optional)

1-2 cups frozen green peas, thawed and drained (Make sure the peas are salt free.)

½ cup - 1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup chopped green onions or red onions

½ cup - 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (I use a combo of cheddar and Swiss.)

2 hard cooked eggs, chopped

Bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled (I use 4 slices of low sodium bacon.)

Note: Do NOT use tomatoes. They’re too watery.

Dressing:

½ cup mayonnaise (Salt-free homemade is great. I use Kraft – 70 mgs./tbsp.)

½ cup sour cream (Low fat works well.)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon curry powder (Or any other spice blend that appeals to you)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (Optional)

Layer the lettuce in the bottom of a large bowl. If you use a clear bowl, the layers of the salad are visible and make a lovely presentation. Follow with a layer of each vegetable. Some people seal the salad with the dressing after all the vegetable layers, followed by the eggs, cheddar cheese, and finally the bacon crumbles. Others top the salad with a portion of lettuce before spreading on the dressing. Some save the cheddar and bacon for the final layer. And some sprinkle the optional Parmesan on the very top. It really doesn’t matter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours before serving.

The thick mayo topping should be spread all the way to touch the sides of the bowl. It needs to form that “air tight” seal. When serving, do NOT toss the salad. Spoon down through the topping and the layers. Try to scoop down deep into the bowl to get a layer of everything then mix it on your plate. That way any leftovers will not get limp. Since it's not tossed, everything will stay crisp if the salad is refrigerated in a sealed container.

Herb Bread

2011-06-13T22:08:00.000-07:00

It’s time to make some more herb bread. I make this bread on a regular basis because I can do so much with it. I’m using the recipe for Chicken Stuffing Bread from Beth Hensperger’s The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook as a guide. However, I think any basic white bread recipe would work. Dick Logue from Low Sodium Cooking has a Stuffing Bread recipe that would work well. The point is to make a basic loaf that is full of herb flavor. You can use any herbs you like. Today I’m using some herbs from my garden: chives, thyme, and rosemary. In addition, I’m throwing in some parsley I just bought from the grocery store.

You can adjust the herbs to fit your preferences. Use oregano, basil, and garlic (powder or roasted – do not use fresh) for an Italian flavor. Add sage for a true poultry stuffing flavor. Dill weed and lemon zest would be yummy with fish. Dill, oregano, mint and lemon zest for a Greek twist. You can add seeds and nuts too: sesame seeds, fennel, cumin, poppy, caraway, dill seeds, pine nuts, and chopped walnuts or pecans. Don’t forget coarsely ground black pepper, dried onion flakes, and a bit of dried red pepper flakes. Maybe even a couple of dollops of mustard.

Today I’m making a 2 pound loaf, and I’m going to bake it in my Zojirushi bread machine. I hardly ever bake bread in my machine because I think it comes out better baked in the oven. However, making herb bread is an exception. I really don’t care how it turns out. It can be a bit lopsided, not very brown on top… No problem! It’s all going to get cut up, cubed, crumbled, so having a good looking loaf isn’t important.

The great thing about herb bread (especially if you’re making it low sodium) is that the bread itself is full of flavor. Today I’m going to cut up some larger cubes for croutons. Toss with a bit of olive oil and/or butter, toast in the oven or in a frying pan until dry and crunchy, and into a freezer bag. There’s no easier way to dress up a ho-hum salad than sprinkling on some tasty, crispy croutons. Sometimes I cut up smaller cubes and oven toast them for my own super low sodium homemade stuffing mix. Sauté onion & celery in butter, toss in some of the cubes, add low sodium chicken broth to moisten, and I’ve got stuffing. After making croutons, I’m going to run the rest of the bread through my food processor to make loads of fresh breadcrumbs. I’ll freeze those too.

I use flavored breadcrumbs a lot. I’ve found that adding a bit of crunch helps liven up low sodium dishes. Texture is very important when following a low sodium diet. For example, I routinely combine the flavored breadcrumbs with some olive oil, freshly grated lemon peel, and freshly crushed garlic. Sometimes I’ll add a couple of tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of red pepper flakes. I keep this combo in the fridge until needed. Then I’ll toast it in a small frying pan to sprinkle on top of vegetables of all kinds. If I make pasta with just garlic, oil, and a bit of chicken broth, I’ll use the tasty bread crumb topping rather than straight Parmesan cheese. The crumbs are great for baked fish too. I usually just smear a thin layer of mayonnaise or mustard on top of the fish fillets and then press in the fresh breadcrumb mixture before baking in my toaster oven. I also use the crumbs with the ubiquitous boneless, skinless chicken breasts, either baked or pan-fried. Of course, the crumbs make a wonderful casserole topping and breading. And they’re great as filler for tuna patties, squash patties, meatballs, and meatloaf.

Finally, I try to set aside at least four decent slices of the herb bread for grilled cheese sandwiches. A special treat. I use a combination of cheddar and naturally low sodium Swiss.

I encourage you to give herb bread a try. You don’t have to worry about a perfect loaf, but you’ll find several good uses for the crumbs and cubes you get from it.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

2011-05-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

Flour tortillas are a perfect vehicle for all sorts of things. Of course, they go well with any Mexican inspired meal. But they’re also great to use as wraps and folded for sandwiches. That said, grocery store tortillas are a problem for anyone on a low sodium diet. They’re pretty high in salt content. That’s the reason I preferred corn tortillas. I could find 2-3 brands at my local supermarkets that were extremely low in sodium and one brand was totally salt-free. Although I really like the flavor of corn tortillas, they can be a bit finicky to work with. First of all, they don’t necessarily lend themselves to foods that aren’t Mexican style. To serve them soft, you need to steam them to that perfect point – soft and pliable, not hard and stiff. On the other hand, to crunch them up, you’ve got to make sure you fry (or bake) them long enough to get them fully crisp. If you don’t, you end up at a weird in-between stage that is overly chewy and tough.

For years one of the members of the Cooking Forum tempted me with wonderful pictures of her homemade tortillas. I wanted to give them a try but figured I was too much of a klutz to manage. A couple of months ago, I finally took the plunge. Imagine my surprise when I discovered they were actually very easy to make. Since then, I’ve made them several times.

The great thing about homemade flour tortillas is that I can control the amount of salt. Another great thing is that they’re a perfect summertime bread. No oven required. Yes, the pan is hot, but the whole cooking process is over with quickly. Much less heat escapes into the rest of the house.

Here’s the recipe with my notes. Eventually I want to experiment a bit by substituting some whole wheat flour. I may also cut back the shortening to just 3 tablespoons. If you give the recipe a try, be sure to use the full complement of shortening the first time around. The fat makes the dough super easy to work with.

Flour Tortillas
AnnT from Cooking Forum
2 cups flour
½ tsp. salt (You can omit this altogether; I used ¼ tsp.)
¼ cup lard/shortening (I used Crisco)
1 tsp. baking powder (I used Featherweight sodium free baking powder)
½ cup WARM [Ann’s note: might need a bit more]

Place flour, salt, baking powder in food processor and pulse to mix. Cut in shortening and then add the WARM water; process to make a soft dough. Dough should be soft but not wet and sticky. (I needed to add about 1-2 tbsp. extra water.) Wrap in plastic and let rest for at least 30 minutes.

Divide dough into 10 or 12 pieces and shape into balls. (I made 10.) Keep covered. (I let the dough balls rest for about 15-20 minutes.) Roll each ball out into a 7-9 inch circle. (I rolled the dough out on either a Silpat mat or special non-stick pastry mat.) Dough should be thin. Cook on a dry hot grill or frying pan on medium heat, turning once. Do not overcook or they will be hard. (I generally cook them about 25 -30 seconds per side. I use a timer. However, once you’ve got a few brown spots on the 2nd side, it’s time to remove them from the heat) Butter and roll up and wrap in tea towel to keep warm as you cook the other tortillas. (I didn’t roll up the cooked tortillas. Instead I layered them with squares of parchment paper squares used for separating hamburger patties. Sometimes I butter them and sometimes I don’t.) [Ann’s notes: I place the ones wrapped in the towel in a low 200 degree oven to keep warm while I am cooking the rest.]

I store any leftover tortillas in a tightly sealed plastic bag. They don't need refrigeration, but I do keep them separated by the parchment squares.

Deli Style Sandwiches & Wraps

2011-05-21T00:13:00.001-07:00

When you’re on a low sodium diet, deli style meats are usually not a sandwich option. Luckily, a few brands of low sodium sliced turkey have been available for the last few years. Trader Joe’s sells packages of Columbus sliced turkey as does Costco. My favorite local grocery store also sells it at the full service deli. However, one of my local stores stopped carrying it because it didn’t sell well enough to continue carrying it. I know that Boar's Head has an array of low sodium offerings. Unfortunately for me, I can only find the low sodium roast beef at a grocery store that’s a half hour drive away.A couple of months ago I noticed a newspaper ad for Sara Lee lower sodium deli style meats. I checked at my favorite grocery store, but, alas, it didn’t carry any Sara Lee deli products. So I promptly forgot about it. But then a few weeks ago, I was shopping in Safeway and discovered Sara Lee lower sodium Virginia ham. I quickly snapped up a package. The nutrition label indicated that a 2 oz. serving was 390 mgs. of sodium, supposedly 1/3 less than the regular style. Granted that 390 mgs. is not truly low sodium. But for an every-once-in-a-while splurge, it’s not too bad.

About a week later I was perusing the self-service deli section of my favorite grocery store and really hit the jackpot. I discovered Hillshire Farm’s low sodium honey ham, Healthy Ones honey smoked turkey breast, and even Farmer John ’s low sodium ham. Yup, I bought all three and tested them over the course of two weeks.
The Hillshire Farm honey ham contains 480 mgs. sodium for a 2 oz. serving, while the Farmer John ham has 270 mgs. sodium per each one (1) oz. slice. The real winner, sodium-wise, was the Healthy Ones smoked turkey breast with 290 mgs. sodium for six (6) slices weighing 58 g. or about 2 oz.

As far as flavor goes, the Hillshire Farm honey ham tasted good. The Farmer John product tasted like regular boiled ham. The Healthy Ones honey smoked turkey breast had a very nice smoky flavor to it and was my favorite. Check out the Healthy Ones website. It has several offerings that are relatively low in sodium.

Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating eating a ham sandwich every day for lunch. But for that occasional treat, to satisfy a craving, these products are better than what is normally available. This is one of those times when portion control is extremely important. A 2 oz. serving needs to be just 2 ounces. Not 2 ounces plus of couple of extra slices. I weighed out the portions for both my husband and me. It also helps to make sure you’re making the sandwiches with lower sodium bread and using low sodium cheese and condiments. Luckily, I’ve always got plenty of homemade sandwich buns in the freezer and thinly sliced (and naturally lower in sodium) Swiss cheese in the fridge.

I was happy to find these products. What it tells me is that food manufacturers are making an effort to offer some low sodium choices, and that’s encouraging. An occasional ham sandwich, a bacon & eggs breakfast every once-in-a-while, a grilled cheese sandwich treat – it will be easier to enjoy them now that more and more products are losing some of their sodium.

Kale Kubed

2011-05-16T15:11:00.001-07:00

When I was at the farmers market last weekend, I picked up a bunch of black kale. It’s different from the variety I usually find in grocery stores. It has a narrow leaf and is a deep, dark green. Sometimes it is called Tuscan kale or dinosaur kale because its leaves resemble reptile skin. It had been sitting in my fridge for a couple of days, so I knew I had to use it up quickly. Luckily, Christy from The Daily Dish just posted a recipe for garlicky broccoli rabe. Although her post was about a different vegetable, it inspired me to fix the kale my favorite way – sautéed in olive oil with lots of garlic and some red chili flakes.

Prepping took a little longer than expected because I had to carefully rinse away aphids that were still attached to some of the leaves. That’s the downside of buying organic, pesticide-free vegetables. I was getting rushed for time, so I decided to use a short cut. For years now whenever I’ve shopped at Trader Joe’s, I’d stock up on Dorot garlic and basil frozen herb cubes. The garlic has 30 mgs sodium per cube, while the basil has just 5 mgs sodium per cube. A few days ago I was perusing the frozen food offerings at my favorite local grocer, when my eye caught the bright red Dorot logo. I just about started jumping up & down with joy when I discovered that the store now carried both the garlic and basil cubes. But even better, they carried the red pepper (0 mgs), ginger (10mgs), and cilantro (10 mgs) cubes as well. Of course, I had to snatch up all three.

Back to the kale – I poured some olive oil into a sauté pan and added two garlic cubes and one red pepper cube. (Thus the “kubed” in this post’s title.) Once everything was sizzling, I tossed in my chopped and now aphid-free kale leaves and added about 1/3 cup of water. Normally I use low sodium chicken broth, but I really was rushing. I covered the pan and let everything simmer for about 20 minutes. That was it. Greens are definitely a personal preference: some people like them well cooked and very, very tender while others want them still crisp. The kale I made was tender but still had some texture.

I really liked the flavor of this particular kale variety. It was great warm, and tonight I’m going to serve it cold, drizzled with homemade balsamic vinegar syrup. (Instructions for making your own balsamic reduction are found near the end of this earlier post.) So, there you have it – Kale Kubed!

If you can find these cubes, don't hesitate to buy some. They're great during the winter months when fresh herbs are often hard to find. And this particular technique for greens can be adapted to other vegetables as well. For an Asian spin, use a light flavored oil and add some ginger & a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. For an Italian adaptation, add a sprinkling of oregano. For a Greek twist, omit the red pepper if desired and add some lemon juice right before serving.

Avgolemeno Sauce

2011-05-13T13:43:00.001-07:00

Please note: This is a re-posting. Blogger somehow managed to "lose" this post published originally on Wednesday, May 11th. Hopefully this time, it will survive.

Our local farmers market just opened last weekend. I was so excited to be able to find fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables sold by farmers I trust. While there, I picked up a lovely 1 pound piece of freshly caught northern halibut from the fish monger. (I won’t mention the strawberry-rhubarb tartlet I bought for our dessert.) I also snapped up a couple of baskets of luscious strawberries and some kale, beets, and fava beans from my favorite vegetable vendor. I already had a bunch of California-grown asparagus and broccoli in my refrigerator. When I got home, I realized I needed to focus on getting all those vegetables cooked before they went bad. It wasn’t hard to decide about dinner – halibut and asparagus. Shopping at the farmers market really perked me up, and I decided to go all out for dinner. I made avgolemeno sauce for the asparagus.

This is a classic Greek sauce. It’s silky smooth and has a delicious lemon zip. It’s similar to hollandaise but a whole lot easier to prepare and not quite as rich. My mother and grandmother would make two distinct avgolemeno sauces: one was for the famous Greek soup and the other was for vegetables, stuffed cabbage or grape leaves, and tuna/salmon patties or loaf. The avgolemeno for soup used whipped egg whites, so the resulting soup had a thin and foamy broth (Sometimes my family would use this version for stuffed grape leaves). The stand-alone avgolemeno is thicker and more stable. It uses a roux to create a sauce that can be easily kept warm for a while and can also be reheated. The second version is what I made.

The recipe makes almost 3 cups of sauce but that’s not a problem for me. I've already used it twice with asparagus, and now I’m using it two times again with broccoli. Because of the lemon, it does not suffer from a lack of salt. It’s a perfect low sodium treat. It could easily substitute for traditional hollandaise in eggs benedict. And it doesn't need babying to reheat. I've been plopping it on top of leftover vegetables and nuking them in the microwave. If the cold leftover sauce separates, just stir it up using a spoon or whisk. No trouble at all!

If you want to see me making the sauce way back in 2000 (pre low sodium days), check out this episode from our Greek cooking show. All three sauces featured in the episode are good with vegetables and need no salt to taste good.

Agvolemeno Sauce
Greek Egg/Lemon Sauce

Silky smooth, sumptuous and rich, with a distinct lemon tang. Nothing could be better served with cooked vegetables of all kinds, and especially stuffed cabbage or grape leaves. A true Greek classic

1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup butter
2 ½ cups low sodium heated broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 eggs, beaten
Juice of two lemons

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour, stirring mixture to blend well. Allow butter/flour mixture to cook and bubble at least one minute. Slowly pour in heated broth, stirring continuously. Cook mixture until thickened. Turn heat to low. Beat eggs in separate bowl with lemon juice until light and fluffy. Add hot sauce, ladleful by ladleful, to egg mixture. Incorporate at least 1/3 of sauce into eggs. Slowly pour back egg/sauce mixture into sauce in pot. Cook over low heat for at least five minutes.

Serve with cooked cabbage wedges, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, zucchini, artichokes; stuffed cabbage leaves or stuffed grape leaves, vegetable, chicken, or and fish patties/fritters; or salmon/tuna loaf. Reheat over low heat.

Asian Noodle Salad

2011-04-14T16:19:00.000-07:00

Here in the greater Sacramento area, we’re fortunate to have a great local chain of cafés that specializes in fresh baked scones, croissants, delicious soups, sandwiches, and fabulous salads. I love La Bou’s coffee, apricot scones, almond croissants, and grilled eggplant sandwiches. One of their most popular items is an Asian Noodle Salad. When I drop in for lunch, I usually get a small noodle salad along with either a bowl of soup or an eggplant sandwich. The noodle salad is so popular that people have written the Sacramento Bee newspaper requesting the recipe. So far no one has been able to get La Bou’s exact recipe, but a couple have come close.

Last week I got a craving for Asian noodle salad but didn’t want to take a trip down to Sacramento, so I decided to give it a try at home. I already had some wonderful salt free udon nood les on hand. Most Asian noodles are packed with sodium, so I was pretty excited last year when I found Hakubuku No-Salt-Added udon noodles at World Market . A few weeks ago I was doubly excited when I found both the udon and somen Hakubuku no-salt-added noodles at a local specialty market.

I went shopping and bought some bean sprouts, a red bell pepper, and cilantro for the salad. I used two of the La Bou clones that appeared in the newspaper as inspirations. The first thing I did was to prepare the dressing. When making salads, I’ve found that tossing the hot pasta or potatoes with a simple vinaigrette helps add flavor that’s missing because of boiling in unsalted water.

Asian Noodle Salad

This is a great tasting salad, full of flavor and crunch. Feel free to add or subtract vegetables. It makes a delicious side dish for grilled chicken or seafood. It also makes a wonderful vegetarian meal all by itself. For a more substantial meal, you could add grilled chicken or shrimp.

6-8 oz. udon no-salt-added noodles (substitute vermicelli or spaghettini)

¼ – ⅓ cup coarsely chopped dry roasted peanuts, salt free

¼ – ⅓ cup mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained well (I use my salad spinner)

¼ – ⅓ cup broccoli florets, blanched for 2-3 minutes and drained well (I use my salad spinner)

½ red bell pepper, julienned

2-3 green onions, thinly sliced

¼ cup cilantro leaves, rinsed and drained well (I use my salad spinner)

Dressing:

2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp. rice vinegar, unseasoned

2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. ginger – powder, paste, or fresh (adjust to suit your taste)

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed

⅛ – ¼ tsp. hot chili oil or chili flakes (adjust to suit your taste)

Combine dressing ingredients, blending well with a whisk. Set aside.

Cook noodles following package directions. Drain well, and toss while still warm with half of the dressing. Refrigerate the noodles until cooled, stirring and separating every 15 - 20 minutes.

A few minutes before serving toss the chilled noodles with the bean sprouts, red pepper, broccoli, and green onions. Add all or part of the remaining dressing. Arrange noodles on a bed of leaf lettuce, if desired. Sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Rain Storms and Chili

2011-03-27T12:56:00.003-07:00

It’s been cold and wet for the last two weeks. A perfect time for a pot of chili. Normally I use ground beef, but this time I decided to use chunks of beef. I got a thick top round piece at my local butcher shop and cut it into 1 inch chunks. I really liked the cubes of meat in the chili – much better than ground meat or even that special “chili grind” some grocery stores have. My homemade chili is definitely NOT traditional. For years & years now I’ve loaded it up with beans, corn, and hominy and thickened it with masa. Between the corn, hominy, & masa, it’s very corny! I know I could omit the meat altogether for a vegetarian chili and still have a hearty meal. For the most part, I make it with canned beans. I’ve found several good low sodium canned bean products readily available at all my local grocery stores. I also include at least two or three Anaheim or poblano peppers purchased from summer farmers markets. I roast and peel them and then freeze them. However, if I run out of my home-processed peppers, I’ll use a small can of chopped green chiles. I usually serve the chili with a sprinkling of cheese, chopped raw onions & a dollop of sour cream. With some homemade corn bread, it’s a perfect winter meal.

Chili

1½ lb. beef (top round, round steak, chuck, etc.) cut into 1 inch pieces

1 onion, chopped

3-5 cloves garlic, minced/crushed

3 cups low sodium beef broth (homemade, dry granules, soup base paste concentrate, canned, etc.)

1 can (14 oz.) no-salt diced tomatoes

1 tsp. ground cumin (Add more or less to suit individual tastes)

1 tbsp. no-salt chili powder blend (Add more or less to suit individual tastes)

3 cans (15 oz.) low sodium beans, well rinsed (I usually use a can each of red kidney, pinto, & black beans)*

2 cups frozen no-salt corn

1 can (14 oz.) white or yellow hominy, well rinsed

1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chiles (Add more or less to suit individual tastes)

¼ cup masa harina combined with ½ cup water or broth

Brown the meat in two or three batches. Don’t overcrowd the pan or else the meat will steam and not brown. Set the meat aside, and in the same pan sauté the chopped onion and crushed garlic. Once the onions are soft, return the meat to the pan and add the equivalent of 3 cups of low sodium beef broth. Add one 14 oz. can of no-salt diced tomatoes along with the cumin & salt-free chili powder.

Bring the meat mixture to a boil and turn the heat down to simmer. After 30 minutes, check meat for tenderness. If the meat is just about tender, begin adding the remaining ingredients: beans, corn, hominy, and chopped chili peppers. Add more water or broth if necessary. Let mixture simmer for an additional 30 minutes before testing the meat again. If meat is tender, slowly dribble in the masa harina mixture and continue simmering for about 10-15 minutes. The mixture will thicken slightly. Check seasonings and add more chili powder or cumin if desired. Serve immediately or let it sit overnight for all the flavors to meld. Freezes well.

*Cooked dried beans are wonderful. Use an equivalent amount and then freeze the leftovers for another meal.

Scalloped Potatoes

2011-03-19T13:27:00.000-07:00

True comfort food – creamy sauce, tender potato slices, a bit of onion, often some cheese, and (my favorite) the crunchy baked-on edges of the pan. Yum! But it takes so long for the raw potato slices to get cooked through in the oven. And, depending on your method, the milk may separate or curdle. It will still taste good, but it doesn’t look as nice.

Most recipes I’ve come across call for baking the raw potato slices in either plain liquid milk or a very thin béchamel sauce. Both methods work. With the plain milk, you need to use a moderately hot oven, no more than 350 degrees or the milk may separate. Curdling can happen in milk as the proteins coagulate and lump together. This causes separation of the curds (the protein lumps) from the remaining liquid. Several factors can cause curdling, including a high cooking temperature.

You can avoid curdling in scalloped potatoes in several ways. You could be sure to slice your potatoes thinly & evenly, don’t pile on too many layers, and bake in a moderate oven. You could bake the potato slices in a thin béchamel or white sauce. The added starch (flour or cornstarch) in the sauce will help prevent curdling. You can use cream for the liquid. Cream has more fat and less protein, so it doesn’t curdle. But no matter which of these methods you use, you still have to bake the potatoes in a moderate oven and that takes a while.

A few weeks ago I had a craving for scalloped potatoes, and it hit me at about 5:00 p.m. I knew that by the time I got the ingredients ready, put the casserole in the oven, and the potatoes actually cooked, we’d be eating too late. That’s when I remembered another method: cooking the potatoes in cream on the stove top first. I’d never wanted to try that method because I thought it was too much work, adding another step I didn’t want to follow. But I really, really wanted some scalloped potatoes. So I decided to give it a try.

I always have heavy cream on hand. That’s because I don’t tolerate fresh, liquid milk at all. I can handle yogurt, but no more than a ½ cup at a time per day. I have no problems with milk, yogurt, buttermilk, & sour cream in baking or cooked foods, thank goodness. For baking and any other recipes requiring milk, I use instant dry milk. I fix a little less than the recipe requires and then make up the difference with heavy cream. Because of its high fat content, heavy cream does not spoil as quickly as other milk products. It stays good in my fridge for quite a while.

I’ve found heavy cream useful in a low sodium diet. Just a couple of tablespoons added to a so-so gravy or sauce adds a sumptuous, rich texture that offsets blandness.

Back to scalloped potatoes: I didn’t want to use all cream for the potatoes, so I simmered them in low sodium chicken broth. I added two cloves of crushed garlic and some thyme to the simmering liquid along with thinly sliced onions. One time I uses frozen leeks from Trader Joe’s and low sodium vegetable broth. It didn’t take long before the starch from the potatoes had begun to thicken the sauce and the potatoes were slightly underdone. At that point, I stirred in about 1/3 cup of heavy cream, transferred everything to a greased casserole (made sure all the potatoes were covered in some sort of liquid), sprinkled with a combination of grated Swiss & cheddar cheese, and topped with homemade flavored bread crumbs (crushed garlic, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and an assortment of dried & fresh herbs). I put the casserole in my pre-heated 400 degree toaster oven (425 degrees in a regular oven) and baked for about 15-20 minutes until bubbly and the potatoes were completely tender. If I had been thinking clearly, I would have used a stovetop-to-oven pan for simmering the potatoes. That would have saved one step and one dirty pan.

The entire operation, from start to finish, took about 30-35 minutes. Much shorter time than baking raw potato slices in the oven. I liked this method so much that I’ve used it several times since that first effort. The potatoes can be flavored many different ways: thyme, rosemary, or a special no-salt blend like Penzy’s “Mural of Flavor;” chopped jalapeno, poblano, chipotle, or Anaheim peppers; vegetable additions like carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli florets, corn; and even homemade low sodium sausage crumbles or a couple of slices of crumbled low sodium bacon.

This method was much easier than expected and produced tender, creamy potatoes (with no curdling). My husband and I couldn’t stop nibbling. I really didn’t need anything else with the meal.

Just in Time for St. Patrick’s Day

2011-03-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

My husband & I headed “down the hill” yesterday to run some errands. Of course, we had to go to Trader Joe’s. We were running low on dried fruit, and I wanted to pick up some breakfast things for later this week when our son & his family visit. This is going to be a busy week for me, and I figured I wouldn’t have a chance to do any baking before they arrived.

I headed for the deli section to pick up some Columbus reduced so dium sliced turkey. It tastes good and makes great sandwiches & wraps. Right next to the packages of sliced deli meats & cheese was a big display of corned beef with some whole heads of cabbage. It hit me that St. Patrick’s Day was just around the corner.

I’m not Irish, but I do like corned beef. Now that we’re following a low sodium regimen, I still fix it once a year for St. Patrick’s Day. Sometimes I’ll even buy an extra package in March to freeze and serve later in the year. Preparing it is usually a 2-3 day affair. I soak the corned beef in clean, fresh water for at least two days, sometimes three days. I change the water at least once or twice a day too. And then I cook the meat in a fresh change of water using my slow cooker. By the time I’m done with the soaking and changes of water, the corned beef has lost a lot of its saltiness. (It’s also lost most of its pink color, but that doesn’t bother me. Years ago I made my own corned pork following a Julia Child recipe. I didn’t use saltpeter, so the meat was not bright pink but tasted great.)

Well, that was my plan for this year to, until… I spied a new (to me) product at Trader Joe’s. Pocino Naturals Uncu red Corned Beef Brisket. The package states that it is fully cooked, heat & serve, no nitrates, no nitrites, and no MSG. But here’s the interesting part for those following a low sodium diet – it has only 100 mgs. sodium per 2 oz. serving. Now compare that to some regular corned beef with 1,680 mgs. per 4 oz. serving. That’s quite a difference! The listed ingredients include beef, water, vinegar, sea salt, cherry powder, sodium carbonates, celery powder, turbinado sugar, and natural flavorings & spices.

I grabbed a smallish package and decided to fix it for lunch today. I didn’t think there would be enough for the entire family crowd on St. Patrick’s Day, plus I was eager to test the product. We just got finished with lunch, and I’m happy to report that the corned beef was a huge success. It retained its pink color and had a wonderful, true corned beef flavor. That’s a big deal since “natural” products often have strange, off flavors because of the weird substitutes that are used. I could tell that it was less salty than regular grocery store corned beef. However, it could have benefited from a one day soak to remove even more salt. I’ll remember to do that the next time I purchase this particular product.

I’m pretty excited about finding this product, and I encourage you to look for either this brand or other brands that might have a similar sodium content. Check out your local grocery stores, health food stores, and specialty food markets. You never know what you might find.

It was an experiment, that’s for sure. This one turned out well, but it could have easily been a complete bust. That’s part of the adventure of cooking low sodium. You never know what will be a hit or a miss. The important thing is to not be afraid to experiment. Keep trying new products, new recipes, and new techniques because when you experience success, you’ve made your low sodium diet much more effective. The better your low sodium food tastes, looks, & smells, the less likely it will be for you to stray. If you can find one winning product, recipe, or technique, all your trash-worthy failures will have been worth it. Never give up!

Grocery Store Spaghetti Sauce Update

2011-02-12T16:07:00.000-08:00

It had been a while since I last spent 20 minutes checking out all the various canned spaghetti sauces available at my local grocery stores. If you're watching your sodium intake, you know what I'm talking about. Carefully picking up a jar, hoping you don't inadvertently jostle a neighboring jar and set off a chain reaction of falling & broken glass. Then turning the jar around until you can examine the nutritional information. Squinting so you can read the small print. And finally letting your brain absorb the information. Then, starting the whole procedure all over again -- for 15 more jars.

But a couple of weeks ago, I decided to look once again at the jarred spaghetti sauce offerings. I was pleasantly surprised. I found two products that would work well with a low sodium diet. Rinaldi To Be Healthy Garden Vegetable sauce is 290 mgs. of sodium per 1/2 cup. Now, that may seem high to you, but if you've ever checked most of the jarred pasta sauces in your supermarket, you'll know it's actually quite low. The other "To Be Healthy" sauces range from 310 - 330 mgs. per 1/2 cup. The other surprising product was Prego Heart Smart Traditional sauce. All the Prego "Heart Smart" sauces have 360 mgs. of sodium per half cup. Again, it sounds like a lot until you compare it to regular jarred sauces.

One way to lower the sodium content of any jarred sauce is to combine it with a can of salt free tomato sauce or diced tomatoes. I do that sometimes and then add a couple of frozen salt & cheese-free pesto ice cubes that I prepared during the summer.

Last night I used the Rinaldi sauce (as is) to make a low sodium version of eggplant Parmesan and spaghetti. I peeled alternate strips off the eggplant, cut in thinly, dipped in an egg wash, and dredged it in flour. Then I baked it on a jelly roll pan that had been lined with no-stick aluminum foil and brushed with olive oil. I sprayed the tops with Pam and stuck the slices into a 450 degree oven. After 15 minutes, I flipped the slices and baked for another 15 minutes.

In a casserole dish, I alternated the eggplant with the sauce and a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese. The eggplant was not swimming in sauce, just a spoonful on top of each slice. Then I popped everything in the oven for about 10-15 minutes.

I combined the remaining sauce with some olive oil and tossed it with the hot spaghetti. It was a good meal, and tonight we'll finished the eggplant leftovers. All in all, I was very pleased with the product.

A Great Product!

2011-01-16T13:52:00.000-08:00

There are four components to food: taste, aroma, presentation, and texture. When you're dealing with lower sodium food, the taste is compromised. That's the reality. No matter what anyone will tell you, lower sodium dishes simply do NOT taste the same as those that are properly seasoned. Notice that I said, "...properly seasoned" not overly salted. Processed foods are notorious for being over salted. But so are dishes served at all levels of restaurant dining -- fast food, chains, and even fine dining.

There's a big difference between foods that are slightly under seasoned and the very low sodium foods those on salt-restricted diets are eating. So, if taste is compromised by the lack of salt, then you've got to really work on aroma, presentation, and especially texture. An appealing texture will go a long way in mitigating the blandness of lower sodium dishes.

That's why I'm happy to recommend an interesting ingredient: Brown Rice Flour. Quite a while ago, one of the Cooking Forum members mentioned using rice flour for dredging fried foods. She said it gave the foods a nice crunch. I read the post with interest and then promptly forgot about it. But a couple of weeks ago I was perusing the Bob's Red Mill section of my local grocery store and came across a bag of brown rice flour. On a whim, I decided to purchase it, and I'm glad I did.

My husband loves crispy fried chicken wings, especially if they're spicy. He's always tempted by the wings luring him over to the take-out deli section of our local grocery store. I wanted to make something similar but without all that disgusting salt. And I didn't want to deal with deep fat frying. I think I came pretty close today.

Yesterday I picked up a few packages of Foster Farms whole chicken wings. This is a California producer, and the fresh chicken parts are salt free. I reconstituted some dried egg whites and sprinkled in a few drops of Tabasco Sauce. I seasoned the brown rice heavily with a combination of the Cajun Blackened Seasoning from Savory Spice Shop and World Market's Jerk Chicken & Fish Seasoning. (Unfortunately, this delicious salt free blend has been discontinued.)

I really dislike flabby chicken wings, so I always cut out that bit of excess skin between the drumette & the wing. I also left on the tips because they get so crunchy and I love to chomp on them. I dipped the wings in the egg white mixture and then dredged them with the seasoned brown rice flour. I placed the wings skin side down on a baking sheet that had been lined with Reynold's non-stick aluminum foil and sprayed with Pam. Then I sprayed the wings with Pam and put them into a 425 degree oven. I honestly don't remember how long they baked. I was fussing with other things, and checked them a couple of time. Once I realized they were close to being cooked through, I turned them over and raised the oven temperature to 450 degrees.

The result was crunchy, crispy, and crackly chicken wings with a wonderful texture that made you forget they were not salted at all. They were an instant hit. I think the great texture was the result of the brown rice flour.

I served the wings with raw vegetables and homemade Ranch dressing dip: 1/2 cup sour cream & 1/4 cup Kraft Mayonnaise. (It has the lowest sodium content of grocery store offerings.) I seasoned the dip with lots of onion powder, a bit of garlic powder, about a tablespoon of dried parsley, and a sprinkle of dried dill weed. I let the flavors meld while the chicken wings were cooking.

I have some raw wings still in the fridge and I'll prepare them tomorrow. For sure I'll use the brown rice flour, but I may change the seasonings.

More Scones

2010-11-04T12:02:00.000-07:00

I make scones about every other week. I like to keep them in the freezer for my husband’s DIY breakfast. A microwaved scone, a blob of unsalted peanut butter or cream cheese, and he’s got himself a pretty good breakfast. I usually make the Quaker Oats Scottish Oatmeal Scones recipe. I leave out the salt, use Featherweight sodium free baking powder, unsalted butter, and between ¼ – ½ cup of white whole wheat flour. I also always use old fashioned rolled oats and never add dried fruit or the sugar topping.

But I was hankering for some 100% whole wheat scones. I searched on the King Arthur Flour website and found several good candidates. I decided to start with the Pot o’ Gold scones recipe. If it didn’t work out, I’d try another and keep trying until I had either found a good recipe or had just given up the quest.

Well, I may never get beyond the Pot o’ Golds. They’re made with white whole wheat flour. I’m able to find King Arthur’s version at all my local grocery stores now, and Trader Joe’s also carries their own store brand. I’ve made the scones a couple of times now, and both my husband and I really enjoy them. Because of the whole wheat flour, they’re very hearty. A real stick-to-your-ribs type of breakfast treat. They’re also not overly sweet – another point in their favor. They are, however, chock full of dried fruit and nuts. You get some sweetness from the fruit and some extra protein from the nuts.

The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of orange juice. It’s used to counter the bitterness that 100% whole wheat baked goods may have. Since I don’t always have orange juice on hand, I keep a “can” of frozen orange juice concentrate in my freezer just for baking. I make up small quantities of just the amount needed for recipes. For this particular scone, I used 1 tablespoon frozen concentrate & one tablespoon water.

Because of the orange juice, the recipe does call for ½ teaspoon of baking soda, and I use the regular stuff from the grocery store. I know there is a salt free baking soda available, but I’ve used it in the past and have not been pleased with the results. You need to use double the amount called for in the recipe. I found I could detect a strange metallic taste, and I wasn’t pleased with its leavening power or the texture of the finished products.

If you’re worried about the baking soda, King Arthur has a similar recipe for Cranberry Orange Scones that uses just 1 tablespoon orange juice and 2 ½ teaspoons of baking powder. My guess is that in the Pot o’ Gold recipe you could substitute an additional ½ teaspoon of baking powder for the baking soda.

I did make some changes: I left out the salt, used Featherweight baking powder, and unsalted butter. In addition, since neither my husband nor I are raisin fans, I used dried Montmorency cherries. I love their tart-sweet flavor. They are much larger than raisins, so I only used 1 cup. I think any similarly sized dried fruit would work, including dried cranberries and blueberries, maybe even chopped dried apricots. I used pecans rather than walnuts and completely omitted the course sugar topping.

I formed an 8 inch dough circle and cut eight wedges. I laid the pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put them uncovered in the freezer for 20 - 30 minutes. King Arthur Flour recommends freezing scones and biscuits before baking. They claim that “…30 minutes in the freezer relaxes the gluten in the flour, which makes the scones more tender and allows them to rise higher. It also chills the fat, which will make the scones a bit flakier.” While the scones were chilling, I preheated the oven. I’ve been doing the freezing step regularly for quite a while now and I think it makes a difference. I start with chilled butter and cold liquid ingredients, but sometimes just the kneading warms the dough and overworks the gluten. Also, sometimes I’m interrupted and the ingredients lose their chill.

Needless to say, I really like these scones. I may also try the cranberry orange recipe because I enjoy that flavor combination. As I said before, they make for a hearty breakfast with just the right touch of sweetness. Perfect with a cup of hot coffee in the morning.

Sargento Low Sodium Cheese

2010-10-25T15:25:00.000-07:00

I’ve seen the magazine ads for Sargento low sodium cheese products for quite a while now, but I’d never actually found them at any of my local grocery stores. Finally, last week I discovered four products in the self-service deli/refrigerated section of Raley’s. Of course, I had to try them.

I found sliced Colby-Jack, sliced Provolone, shredded Mozzarella, and shredded Mild Cheddar. They all claim to have 25% less sodium than the regular products. I ended up purchasing the sliced Colby-Jack and slice Provolone. I’m not crazy about packaged pre-shredded cheese because of the “gritty” ingredients used to keep the shreds from clumping together.

I have to admit, the low sodium slices are handy. I’ve already used them with burgers, in grilled cheese sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches, and melted on top of vegetables. They’re quite thin, so that alone makes them lower in sodium than most regular sliced cheese. The slices weigh 19 grams each which is approximately 2/3 ounce. The regular Sargento sliced Provolone has 135 mgs sodium per 19 gram slices while the low sodium version has 100 mgs sodium. The regular sliced Colby-Jack has 125 mgs sodium compared to the lower sodium 90 mgs sodium.

The sodium savings aren’t tremendous, but the slices taste pretty good and give you the option of enjoying a cheesy layer on sandwiches without feeling guilty. So, all in all, I think Sargentos has developed a pretty good product for those of us concerned about sodium intake.

I think the low sodium shredded cheeses would be useful on those days when you just don’t have time to do much prep work. Grab a package of salt-free taco shells, a bag of lettuce shreds, a tub of low sodium fresh pico de gallo, a pound of ground beef, and a bag of the low sodium mild cheddar, and you’re all set for a quick taco dinner. Or you could brown some ground beef liberally sprinkled with Italian herbs & garlic powder, add a can of salt free tomato sauce, combine with boiled pasta, pour everything into a casserole dish, top with some of the low sodium mozzarella, and bake. Another quick dinner.

I prefer to shred my own cheese and keep it frozen in freezer bags. I bought a fine shredding disc for my Cuisinart food processor to use for shredding the Parmesan chunks I buy at either Costco or Trader Joe’s. As I’ve said before, I like to combine homemade breadcrumbs, minced garlic, a bit of olive oil or butter, and a couple of tablespoons of the shredded Parmesan. Sometimes I throw in fresh or dried herbs. I use this tasty combination as a topping for pasta instead of just straight shredded Parmesan cheese. It’s also good with vegetables or anything else that could use a little flavor & texture boost.

I use my larger shredding disc for other cheeses. I keep bags of shredded Swiss cheese (which is naturally lower in sodium), mozzarella, and sharp cheddar in my freezer. I don’t have too much of a problem with clumping because I don’t overfill the bags and lay them out flat to freeze. Then once frozen, I can easily knead the bags a bit to loosen the cheese shreds. With that assortment, I’m set for anything that needs some cheese. I can grab a couple handfuls or two of mozzarella to combine with a handful of Swiss, and I’m ready for a pizza. I can do the same with a combo of cheddar & Swiss for tuna casserole. Having my own shredded cheese in the freezer gives me a lot of options and allows me to combine the cheese in a way that maximizes flavor but minimizes the sodium impact.

But for sliced cheese, I think the Sargento cheeses are worth investigating. They also have string cheese snacks that might be good choices for snacks on the go.

The Low Salt Bandwagon

2010-08-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

Now that the salt issue has gotten everyone’s attention, we should be celebrating. Food manufacturers will now cut the sodium content of hundreds of prepared food products. Shopping at our local grocery stores will be so much easier for those following a low sodium regimen. It’ll be so simple and painless too. Not anything like the low fat, sugar free, or low carb crazes.

Sure, low fat products are problematic. When fat is removed, flavor, texture & “mouth-feel” suffer. So manufacturers have to use an assortment of gums and stabilizers to mimic the consistency of fats. But the fat impersonators create “off” flavors, so the amounts of salt & sweetener must be increased to mask the unpleasant taste. The end result is a low fat food that is high in salt, sweetener, and additives.

And yes, sugar free products are equally problematic. For all its supposed faults, at least sugar is a real food. It started out as either sugar cane or sugar beets. In order to make something sugar free, food manufacturers have to use a variety of sweeteners cooked up in a chemist’s lab. Often times, they, too, contribute “off” flavors that also must be disguised. In sugar free baked products, gums and stabilizers may be used to help create an acceptable texture. Again, the end result is a sugar free food that is high in additives.

Similar problems exist with low carb food products. But reducing the sodium content of prepared foods should be easy. All you have to do is just simply cut down on the amount of salt used. That’s what you would do in real life cooking. No need to substitute weird ingredients; no need to resort to gums & stabilizers; no need to disguise a strange flavor. No need to completely overhaul recipes. JUST CUT DOWN THE AMOUNT OF SALT! Nothing could be easier. Sure, the food might taste a bit bland and a bit flat. But that’s to be expected. After all, most prepared foods were way oversalted to begin with.

I eagerly read all the reports of Campbell’s Soups, Heinz, and other food manufacturers lowering the sodium content of their products. However, in the back of my mind I wondered if the low salt bandwagon would travel down the same familiar paths as the low fat, sugar-free, and low carb crazes. Well, I got my answer this week.

I was running low on Heinz salt free ketchup, so I picked some up at the store. No need to check labels because I’ve been buying it for a few years now. It wasn’t until I started to write a new blog entry about the glories of homemade, salt free barbecue sauce that I noticed something different about my newest ketchup bottle. In my blog post, I planned to blather on & on about how easy it was to make your own tasty barbecue sauce by using salt free ketchup as a base. But I stopped typing in mid sentence when I noticed the “Made with AlsoSalt” symbol on the label. I checked the ingredients and discovered that now one (1) tablespoon of Heinz No Salt Ketchup contains 170 mg. of potassium from potassium chloride and L-lysine monohydrocloride. My heart sunk. So this is what the low salt bandwagon is going to look like – Phony salt substitutes instead of just lowering salt content.

AlsoSalt is probably a fine product. And I bet the company was thrilled when it got the Heinz contract. You may think I’m making too much of a little added potassium, but I’m tired of artificially “healthy” foods and disgustingly unhealthy foods. Foods with fat substitutes, fake sweeteners with weird aftertastes, strange gums and stabilizers that have the texture of snail slime. Foods with so much sugar you need to see a dentist immediately after consuming them. Foods with so much salt that your mouth burns from eating them. Foods with so much fat and grease that you feel like you need to take a hot shower after munching on them. And now there’s extra potassium.

I know someone who thinks she’s eating a “healthy” breakfast when she sits down to Special K and fat free half & half sprinkled with Equal, coffee with more Equal, and strawberries sprinkled with even more Equal. Yes, it’s low in calories. Yes, it’s low in fat. And, yes, it’s low in sugar. But healthy? Give me a break!

Luckily, Hunt’s still makes salt free ketchup without any kind of salt substitute. Unfortunately, I can’t find it at any of my local grocers, so I’ll have to order it online. I wonder how long it will stay salt-substitute free.

Low Sodium Bread Revisited - Part 7

2010-07-05T13:52:00.001-07:00

As promised, here are some of my favorite low sodium buns and rolls recipes. I keep the individual rolls in my freezer. That way I’ve always got the makings for a quick breakfast or lunch. Please note that I always decrease the salt and yeast amounts accordingly. Other than with bagels, the dough for rolls should be fairly soft, so I try very hard to not add too much flour to the dough. That’s especially true when working with whole wheat flour. I usually hold back anywhere from 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup of whole wheat flour and only add more during kneading if the dough seems excessively sticky. And to avoid incorporating too much flour, I always shape the rolls on a Silpat mat. During shaping, I cover the dough I’m not using with a piece of plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.

Bagels

I love them! But the ones you can buy at grocery stores are always disappointing. Soft & fluffy instead of dense and chewy. That’s the real reason why I wanted to make them myself. Lowering the salt content was a side benefit. Although there are several steps, making bagels is a rather simple process. I just dump the ingredients in my Zojirushi and let it do all the hard work. It easily handles the rather dense dough. Then it’s simply a matter of shaping, boiling, and baking. Sounds like a lot of work, but it is worth it. The bagels come out properly chewy and are fabulous toasted. King Arthur Flour has several good recipes. I use the one for water bagels. The recipe calls for malted milk powder. I’m able to find Carnation brand at my local grocery stores. For a while I also used Horlick’s malt powder. It’s an English import that my daughter bought for me as part of an all-English gift basket. Other recipes call for non-diastatic malt . This is what professional bagel makers use. I bought some and use it now.

The only real change I have made to the recipe (other than reducing both salt & yeast quantities) is to use only 2 tablespoons of malt in the dough. Depending on my mood, I sometimes substitute 1-2 cups of white whole wheat flour. Because whole wheat flour has a tendency to suck up moisture, I may end up adding a tablespoon or more of water to the dough during the kneading phase.

Sandwich/Hamburger Buns

I really like the recipe for White Sourdough Bread from Beth Hensperger’s “The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook.” I make dough for the two pound loaf and divide into 12 pieces for wonderfully light yet chewy sandwich buns. The buns are sturdy and not squishy soft, so they hold up to drippy toppings and sauces. They’re also not very sweet.

I let my machine knead & rise the dough. Then I weigh the dough ball and divide by 12. Once I get an approximate weight for individual dough pieces, I divide the dough ball up, weigh and adjust each piece, roll the pieces into balls, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and flatten them. Depending on my mood, I may brush the rolls with cream or an egg wash. If I use an egg wash, I might sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds on the top too. They’re baked at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

These buns really lend themselves to flavor additions. My favorites are dried onion flakes and either dill seed or caraway seed. Another combination I like is chopped fresh rosemary and coarsely ground black pepper.

White Sourdough Bread
Beth Hensperger

2-pound Loaf:
1 cup sourdough starter
¾ cup fat-free milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons honey
4 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
2¼ teaspoons bread machine yeast

When I want a softer bun, I use King Arthur Flour’s recipe for Beautiful Burger Buns. These are soft and slightly sweet and enriched by egg. Another good recipe from King Arthur is Soft Sandwich Rolls. These soft rolls are made with potato flour or flakes.

Dinner rolls

I like having dinner rolls in my freezer. Sometimes a meal seems rather skimpy, but just adding a warm dinner roll makes it special. Their small size makes them perfect for quick snacks too. Not hungry enough for a full sandwich? A dinner roll is the perfect size for a mini sandwich.

I generally follow the same procedure as for sandwich buns. I let my machine knead & rise the dough. Then I weigh the dough ball and divide by 15. Once I get an approximate weight for individual dough pieces, I divide the dough ball up, weigh and adjust each piece, roll the pieces into balls, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Depending on my mood, I may brush the rolls with cream or an egg wash. They’re baked at 375 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. I transfer them to a cooling rack and separate them before freezing.

I mainly make whole wheat rolls, so I usually hold back anywhere from 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup of whole wheat flour and only add more during kneading if the dough seems excessively sticky. Also, because whole wheat flour has a tendency to suck up moisture, I may end up adding a tablespoon or more of water to the dough during the kneading phase. (Note: For some reason I don't have any pictures of all the hundreds of whole wheat dinner rolls I've made. So I'm using an old picture of some white flour ones I made when I first got my Zojirushi.)

I discovered this recipe from Hodgson Mills quite a while ago. I was searching for another way to get bran into our diets. I like bran muffins but sometimes get sick of the sweetness. I was looking for something more like a yeast bread. This recipe for High Fiber Bran Bread was written for the bread machine, but I make it into dinner rolls. A couple of these rolls warmed up in the microwave and spread with a bit of butter are a perfect bran-filled breakfast. I always add 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten to the dough.

Another good recipe is from Bob’s Red Mill. These Homemade Buttermilk Rolls are very good, a combination of white and whole wheat flour. I always add 2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten to the dough.

Here’s another great recipe from King Arthur Flour. These Honey Wheat Rolls are wonderful. The dough is soft and pliable and the resulting rolls are tender and moist. It’s another white flour & whole wheat flour combination. I think it would make great cinnamon roll dough too.

Pizza Dough

My favorite recipe for pizza dough comes from Beth Hensperber’s book. I’ve been using it since I first tried it. I let my machine do all the work – kneading & rising. For just the two of us, I usually divide the dough in thirds and make pizza three days in a row. A great and easy meal. I pre-heat my oven about thirty minutes at 450-475 degrees with the pizza stone on the lowest rack. I roll the dough out and stretch it over an upturned mixing bowl. I then place it on a parchment lined wooden pizza peel. Once the oven is sufficiently pre-heated, I slip the pizza with the parchment onto the stone and let it bake for about 8 minutes. Then I remove the parchment and let the pizza finish baking directly on the stone. I like this method better than baking in a pizza pan or trying to use cornmeal to keep the dough from sticking to the peel. After an additional 4-6 minutes baking, the crust should be crisp and brown. I remove it with the peel, slice, and serve.

Basic Pizza Dough
Beth Hensperger

1 1/3 cups water
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoon salt
2 ½ teaspoons bread machine yeast

So there you have it. Some of my favorite recipes. And now I think it’s time to say farewell to this epic tome about making low sodium bread. But, I know I’ll always be experimenting and trying new recipes. And I’ll be sure to share them with you. Happy baking!

Low Sodium Bread Revisited - Part 6

2010-06-05T19:10:00.001-07:00

I’m almost done with this epic tome on low sodium bread making. In this post, I’ll share some of my favorite bread recipes. They’re all low sodium because I make them that way. I’ve mentioned before several times that I prefer to use regular bread recipes and reduce the salt content myself rather than follow recipes found in low sodium cookbooks or websites. There are a couple of reasons why I prefer doing this: one reason is that I like the variety of flavors and techniques offered by recipes from bread cookbooks, websites (such as King Arthur Flour), and other sources that focus on yeast breads. They’ve got the bread expertise because that’s what they concentrate on. I think their information is sound. Another reason is that I simply don’t trust some of the lower sodium bread recipes I’ve seen. The yeast quantity seems too high for salt free breads, and often times, the role of salt in yeast breads is completely misrepresented. Also, I really don’t care for totally salt-free bread. I find the flavor completely lacking, so bland, in fact, that I wouldn’t bother making it. I’d just as soon do without.

In this post I will reference several favorite recipes. I will post them as written (or link to them) and indicate my adjustments in parentheses or notes. I’ve made all these recipes at least twice and some several times. I think they’re fine, but you may not be as impressed as I am.

Rustic, Artisan, or Hearth Breads:

Let me be perfectly honest here. These are the hardest breads to successfully make with lowered salt content. The reason is simple: These breads are way too plain – just flour, salt, yeast, and water. That’s it. No flavor components other than salt, and as a result, these breads are usually made with more salt than other breads. So when you take away all or even just part of the salt, you end up with bread that is flat & tasteless.

That’s why I heartily recommend using recipes that utilize an overnight starter – a polish, biga, sponge, pre-ferment – whatever you want to call it. That overnight fermentation period adds a lot of flavor to what could otherwise be pretty bland bread.

Making these breads can be a long & complicated affair. Getting that crispy, crackly, blistered crust with plenty of large interior holes takes time, patience and some skill. But it’s not as complicated as it sounds. You just mix up the pre-ferment, let it sit overnight, and then add it to the rest of the dough ingredients the next day. If you can let the dough have a long, slow, cool rise overnight too, then the flavor is even better. Not really a lot of work involved. However, you’ll be working with a fairly wet dough and that might involve a bit of a learning curve.

I do not make completely salt-free artisan bread; I only reduce the salt content by half. Otherwise, I think the flavor suffers too much. I know traditional Tuscan Bread is made without salt. But that’s because it’s meant to be eaten with salty foods like salami, cheese, etc. That’s great if you’re not on a low sodium diet. But offsetting the bland taste of salt free bread by piling on a bunch of salty cheeses & meats is not acceptable on a low sodium regimen.

Artisan breads, however, really lend themselves to flavor embellishments. That’s something the home baker can easily do to perk up flavor. Take your inspiration from the artisan breads you find at your local grocery store or bakery – roasted garlic cloves, rosemary, crushed black pepper, green onions or chives, sun dried tomatoes, chopped jalapenos, etc. Any of these and other flavor additions will spice up a dull loaf. I prefer to sprinkle on chunky additions during the folding phase of shaping these kinds of breads (more about this later), rather than throw them in during the kneading cycle of my bread machine. That way I end up with lovely ribbons of flavorful “stuff” rippling throughout the finished loaf.

You can also add 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar to boost the flavor of these simple loaves. The vinegar adds a tang that helps make up for the missing salt. Likewise, anywhere from ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon of citric acid will also add some tang. This is the ingredient many commercial sourdough bakers use to boost the sour flavor in their product. Here it is used in a King Arthur Flour sourdough bread recipe.

This recipe from Alton Brown produces a basic artisan-type bread. The recipe discusses techniques that are worthwhile mastering: making a pre-ferment, using the autolyse method, applying the folding technique often used in shaping artisan breads, shaping a dough round, and producing steam in the home oven.

I’ve made this several times, reducing the salt quantity by half. Because the yeast amount is so small to begin with, I only reduce it by ¼ teaspoon. I let either the food processor or bread machine do the kneading. The 20 minute rest (autolyse) after combining the pre-ferment with the other dough ingredients is not always easily accomplished with a bread machine. It’s no problem with my Zojirushi because I can simply turn the machine off after just a few minutes of the slow initial kneading cycle and then start it again, canceling the pre-heat cycle. Other machines may not accommodate skipping cycles as easily.

I try not to use too much flour, preferring a rather slack dough. I do not let the dough rise in the machine. I take it out after the kneading has finished, place it in a dough bucket, and let it rise slowly in a cool place. Sometimes I just stick the dough bucket in the fridge and don’t get around to making the bread until a day or two later. The long, slow rise improves flavor. To insure that I don’t add too much flour, I shape the dough on a Silpat and just dust my hands with flour. After shaping, I place it on a parchment paper topped wooden pizza peel. I preheat my oven with its baking stone for at least 30 minutes before sliding the bread with the parchment onto the heated stone. I have never used the cornstarch wash Alton describes. I also don’t use the shallow pan with hot water. I slash the shaped dough and spritz with water before placing in a 425 degree oven. Then I quickly open the oven every 3 minutes to spray again; I stop the spritzing after about eight minutes. Then I turn the heat down to Alton’s 400 degrees and continue baking. About halfway through the baking, I open the oven to remove the parchment paper and let the bread finish baking directly on the stone.

Using a Silpat along with the parchment paper business and the spritzing are techniques I’ve developed from studying various recipes, personal experience, and reading about bread making on the Cooking Forum, King Arthur Flour.com, and other websites. They’re techniques that I’m comfortable with now. Other fabulous bread bakers use different but equally helpful methods. My suggestion is to investigate the “French and Italian” bread recipe section of King Arthur Flour. Read the recipes, study the pictures, follow the links to their “Bakers’ Banter,” and get a feel for making these kinds of breads. Another helpful source is The Fresh Loaf. It’s got lots of recipes techniques and discussion about making artisan breads. You’re sure to pick up some helpful hints.

Another good basic recipe I’ve used several times is this from King Arthur Flour. It’s another hearth style bread made with a sponge starter. It uses a similar resting technique as outlined above in Alton Brown’s recipe. This autolyse rest period really does help the bread and is easy to accomplish with a food processor, stand mixer, and some bread machines. This recipe sprays the loaves with water before baking to achieve the steam so necessary for artisan loaves.

If you’re interested in a quick artisan-like bread, this from About.com is not too bad. It approximates the flavor of sourdough bread by using sour cream or yogurt and some vinegar. Because of the dairy addition, it will be much more tender than real artisan bread, but it will have a good flavor. And it doesn’t need any overnight fermenting. I’ve made it a couple of times starting out with just 4 – 4 ¼ cups of flour. Since non-fat yogurt is more sour tasting than sour cream, that’s what I’ve used. I’ve never included the oat bran, ginger, or the glaze. And I bake it directly on a stone rather than in a pan. Sometimes I slash and sometimes I don’t.

Whole Grain Breads:

For all of these breads, I let my bread machine do most of the work – combine the ingredients knead, and let the dough rise. Most of the time I prefer to shape and bake the loaves in my oven. I try not to let the shaped dough overproof. I aim for getting it into the oven just before it has doubled. Just a reminder, I always halve the amounts of yeast and salt. And I always add at least a tablespoon of vital wheat gluten and granular lecithin along with a teaspoon of diastatic malt powder.

I’m a sucker for cracked wheat breads, and I’m happy to say I found a real winner at Taste of Home. It uses buttermilk, honey, and whole wheat flour too. I usually oven bake it in a 9” x 5” pan.

I’m also a sucker for oatmeal breads. I’ve made this from King Arthur Flour. It turns out soft and fluffy with a delicately sweet flavor. Another favorite oatmeal bread recipe is from Annie from Cooking Forum. Coffee is used as the liquid but there’s no overpowering taste. It’s a nice sweet loaf, perfect for breakfast toast. Just a reminder, as always, I halve the yeast and salt amounts, and I do the kneading in my bread machine.

MAPLE OATMEAL BREAD
Annie1992 from Cooking Forum

3 – 3 ¼ cups flour
1 package dry yeast (2 ¼ tsp.)
¾ cup prepared coffee
1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats (I use old fashioned rolled oats)
½ (scant) cup maple syrup
2 tbsp. butter
1 tsp salt
1 egg

Combine a cup of flour and the yeast. Heat coffee, oats, syrup, butter and salt until just warm and butter is almost melted. Add to flour mixture along with egg. Beat with electric mixer on low for 30 seconds. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3-5 minutes kneading). Shape dough into a ball, place in lightly greased bowl, and turn over once to grease surface of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about an hour.

Punch down dough, cover and let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile lightly grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Shape dough into a loaf and place into prepared pan, cover and let rise in a warm place until NEARLY double in size (30 to 45 minutes). Bake at 350 F about 30 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when lightly tapped. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire rack. Makes 1 loaf (14 slices)

I have more than one “favorite” whole wheat bread recipe. I use them interchangeably, depending on my mood. They all make lovely, soft & tender loaves. Th is from King Arthur is great. It uses orange juice plus milk for liquid. The addition of potato flakes & dried milk makes for a very tender crumb. Below is another similar recipe from one of the Cooking Forum members. It uses honey rather than sugar for sweetening.

HONEY WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
Momj47 from Cooking Forum

3-1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I use KA White WW)
2 pkg. active dry yeast (4½ tsp.)
2 T vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1/3 cup orange juice
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup butter
1 egg

In large bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, yeast, vital wheat gluten and salt and mix well.

In saucepan, heat milk, orange juice, water, honey, and butter until warm. Add to flour mixture with egg and stir. Beat this batter for 3 minutes. Then, gradually stir in rest of whole wheat flour and enough remaining all-purpose flour for a firm dough. (I prefer a softer dough)

Knead dough, adding more flour if necessary, for 5-8 minutes until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour, until doubled.

Punch down dough and divide in half. On lightly floured surface, press each piece of dough to a 14x7" rectangle. Starting with shorter side, roll up tightly. Pinch edges to seal and place dough, seam-side down, into greased 9x5" bread pans, making sure short ends of bread are snugly fitted against the sides of the pans. Cover and let rise in warm place until the dough fills the corners of the pans and is double in bulk, 30-40 minutes.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, until bread is golden brown. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Makes two loaves.

The next whole wheat bread recipe is another contribution from the wonderful members of the Cooking Forum. It uses a sponge. I just tried it for the first time last week, but I was really pleased with the texture and taste. I think it would make good hamburger buns or dinner rolls too. It’s less sweet than most whole wheat bread recipes, so you may want to double the sweetener. Again, I halved both the salt and yeast quantities.

100% WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
Grainlady from Cooking Forum
(“I have to give my friend, Mildred from Missouri, the credit for this great recipe.”)

Sponge:
¾ c. lukewarm buttermilk (I used dried)
¾ c. lukewarm water
2½ c. white whole wheat (I used King Arthur Flour White Whole Wheat)
¼ t. ascorbic acid
2 t. SAF-Instant Yeast (I used rapid rise/bread machine yeast)

Mix these ingredients in the bread machine pan and set the machine to QUICK DOUGH. As soon as the mixture is well mixed, stop and unplug the machine and allow to sit (with the lid closed) at least 2½ hours, or up to 12 hours (I did 12 hours on the counter & 12 hours in the fridge).

After the sponge has set, mix these ingredients into the sponge:

2 T. melted coconut oil (or butter or vegetable oil)
2 T. agave nectar (or honey)
1 egg

Add to the top of the sponge mixture in the pan:

2¼ c. whole wheat flour (I used Stone Buhr Whole Wheat)
(I added 2 tbsp. vital wheat gluten)
2 t. salt (on top the flour)

Set the bread machine on regular DOUGH cycle and process. Check the dough to make sure it's formed into a nice soft ball and adjust the hydration as needed.

Grainlady’s notes: “I process the dough in the bread machine until the dough is mixed and kneaded. I don't let it rise in the machine. I place the dough in a dough rising bucket, place the lid on the top and allow the dough to ALMOST rise to double. Whole wheat dough does NOT have the extensibility that white bread dough does, so try not to let it go more than double.

“After the bread machine finishes the dough cycle (or has doubled in the dough rising bucket), dump the dough onto a Silpat and with oiled/greased hands deflate the dough by pushing it in the middle with your fist then drawing all edges of the outside dough into the middle (turning the dough inside-out, so to speak). Divide the dough into portions (I scale the dough for accuracy.) Round each portion (make it into a smooth ball) so that all the gluten strands are going into the same direction. Cover and allow to rest 10-15 minutes so the gluten relaxes. Form dough (oil your hands when you handle the dough), pan, cover with plastic wrap for the final proofing.

“I make this bread into 3 small loaves (7-1/2x3-1/2-inch pans - 350°F for 20-25 minutes), OR one 1# Pullman Loaf and use the other 1# of dough for 6 pecan rolls OR an 8-inch pan of dinner rolls; sometimes I use a portion of the recipe for hamburger or hot dog buns. If making two regular loaves (8½ x 4½), bake in a 375°F oven for 25-minutes. A very versatile dough.”

I made two 8½ x 4½ inch pans, letting the dough rise about 45 minutes until just at the top of the bread pans. I baked them per Grainlady’s instructions at 375 degrees, checked them at 25 minutes, and kept baking until they reached an internal temperature of 190 degrees.

Next Post: Some of my favorite low sodium buns and rolls recipes.

Low Sodium Bread Revisited - Part 5

2010-05-17T15:29:00.001-07:00

Even if you don’t have a bread machine, you can still make tasty low sodium bread without resorting to manual kneading. Of course, you must remember to reduce both the salt & yeast amounts accordingly and to avoid overproofing. Here are some possibilities:

Use a food processor to knead the dough. The advantage is the food processor’s versatility. You can use it for all kinds of cooking tasks including making yeast dough. Of course, in order to properly knead dough, you’ll need a fairly large machine and a powerful one. I’ve got a Cuisinart 11 cup machine. Kitchenaid also makes a nice sized one. My machine’s manual has an entire section devoted to making bread dough. When my husband was first diagnosed with congestive heart failure, I was hesitant about buying a bread machine, so I got the Cuisinart. I knew I could use it for shredding cheese and vegetables, making bread crumbs and finely chopping nuts, and also for making dough. I found it really easy to use, especially when making artisan type breads. The only disadvantage is the capacity limitations. My machine cannot handle more than 5 cups of white flour, 3 cups of whole wheat flour, or 3 ½ cups of flour in a rich sweet dough.

The steps are pretty simple. You proof the yeast by dissolving it in a small amount of liquid to which a bit of sweetening has been added; some recipes don’t even call for this extra step. Then you combine all the dry ingredients in the work bowl and process for a few seconds. The liquids are slowly added through the feed tube while the machine is running. You should add enough liquid to make the dough soft enough for the machine to knead. Process the dough for about 20-30 seconds. Check the dough’s consistency and then process for another 15-20 seconds.

The biggest worry when using a food processor to knead is the possibility of overheating the dough. Excess heat could kill the yeast. That’s why it’s important to use cool liquids, not warm ones. Also avoid over-processing the dough. If you think you should knead a bit longer, or you need to adjust hydration, it’s wise to turn off the machine and let the dough cool down before continuing. An advantage to using the heavier duty food processors is that they can handle making several batches of dough in a row.

A great resource if you’re interested in using your food processor for making bread dough is The Best Bread Ever: Great Homemade Bread Using your Food Processor by Charles Van Over. I discovered it in my local library a few years ago when I was just getting started making low sodium bread. It’s full of great recipes and wonderful techniques and hints for using your food processor. Here is an example of one of the recipes. Here’s a food processor recipe from King Arthur Flour. These recipes should give you a good idea of what making dough in your food processor entails.

Use a stand mixer to knead the dough. Probably Kitchenaid is the most well known brand of heavy duty stand mixer. It is another versatile appliance that can do much more than knead bread. Another advantage is that, depending on the model, it can handle up to 7 cups of flour at a time. Many people faithfully use their heavy duty stand mixer for kneading bread dough. Here is a recipe for bread using a stand mixer. This should give you a general idea of the steps involved when using a mixer to knead dough. The biggest disadvantage to having a large stand mixer is finding storage space for it. Also, it’s quite heavy and not easily moved from cupboard to counter and then back again.

In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I’ve never owned a stand mixer. I rarely, if ever, make things like cakes, cupcakes, quick breads, muffins, etc., so I’ve never felt compelled to buy one. But, as I mentioned earlier, I know many people love their stand mixers and use them regularly.

Experiment with batter breads. These breads are not kneaded at all. Instead a thick batter is mixed with either a stand or hand mixer and then poured into prepared pans. This page features several batter bread recipes. Probably the most famous and widely used batter bread recipe is for English Muffin Bread. The bread is easy to make and really does have the taste and texture of English muffins but without all the work. Another classic batter bread is Cottage Cheese/Dill Casserole Bread. RecipeZaar has a well reviewed recipe for Basic White Batter Bread that could easily accommodate all kinds of flavor additions. Batter breads can also be a good introduction to yeast bread making in general. The only thing you want to watch for is overproofing. These are more delicate breads, so don’t let them rise too much or they may collapse during baking. Also, because the dough is not really shaped, the top crust will be a bit rough in texture.

Experiment with the famous artisan bread in 5 minutes a day recipe. Here’s the recipe that took the world by storm a few years ago. It’s a terrific concept and no kneading is required. Stir all the ingredients in a large bowl, cover, let rise at room temperature, and then refrigerate the dough until needed. Since it’s a huge mass of dough, you can break off small amounts to make rolls, small meal-sized loaves, pizza, etc. The dough lasts for over a week and the flavor is supposed to improve the longer it sits in the fridge. For more information about this bread making technique, check out the website.

I’ve used the basic recipe a few times. It’s very convenient, and I know some people love the bread. I've posted a couple of pictures of a bread I made incorporating green onions. The bread is pretty good and definitely easy to make. The only downside is that the recipes make large portions of dough that must either be refrigerated or frozen, taking up valuable fridge space. The cookbooks have several well reviewed recipes, so it may be an option worth investigating.

Experiment with the equally famous no-knead bread recipe. This is another bread recipe that took the world by storm a few years ago. It’s also a terrific concept. An almost miniscule amount of yeast is added to about 3 cups of flour and some water. The resulting dough is very wet and left to “percolate” for over 12 hours. Then the dough is briefly shaped and plopped into a heated dutch oven, covered, and baked in a hot oven. The resulting bread is supposed to rival all other recipes for artisan bread. There are several recipes available online, and the book can be purchased or checked out from a library.

I’ve never tried this recipe because I’m a chicken. Maneuvering a heavy and hot cast iron dutch oven, trying to plop loose dough in it, and then trying to get the baked bread out—let’s just say that my weak wrists probably couldn’t manage. I’m afraid of dropping the dutch oven or burning myself. But you might find the no knead recipes wonderful. I know others have.

Conclusion: Even without the benefit of a bread machine, you can make some fairly easy lower sodium bread recipes without relying on hand kneading. Just remember that no matter what appliance you use or what recipe you use, you still need to remember to reduce both the salt & yeast amounts accordingly.

Next Post: Some of my favorite low sodium bread recipes.

Low Sodium Bread Revisited - Part 4

2010-05-09T13:21:00.001-07:00

Here are some things I’ve learned about keeping lower sodium bread fresh. Some people are disappointed with homemade bread because it dries out and stales so much faster than commercial grocery store breads. Lean, rustic breads, in particular, stale quickly. All that is to be expected because the home baker does not have access to the additives and dough conditioners that commercial bakers use. The long laundry list of ingredients on your bread packages attest to that fact. Also, home bakers don’t have the same kind of specialized equipment. However, there are things you can do to keep your homemade bread fresh longer and to prevent it from quickly drying out and going stale.

Don’t start with overly dry dough. When baking low sodium breads, you normally don’t want to use excessively wet or soft dough. But don’t go to the opposite extreme and end up with overly firm, dense, and dry dough either. That kind of consistency will result in loaves that are on the dry side to begin with. They will stale almost immediately.

Don’t over bake the bread. Again, the last thing you want to do is start out with dry bread. Soft, enriched breads that contain fats are done baking when the internal temperature is around 180-190 degrees. Drier, crusty breads need to bake until they are between 200-210 degrees inside. Simply poke an instant read thermometer into the center of the loaf and in thirty seconds or less you should have an accurate reading of its internal temperature.

If you bake in your bread machine, the crust setting will determine how long your bread bakes. The medium setting is probably the safest to use. Most bread machines only have a bottom heating element unlike the top & bottom elements of conventional electric ovens. As a result, often times the bottom & side crusts of machine baked loaves are darker and thicker than the top crusts. Attempts to get a browner top crust by baking on the dark setting might result in dried interiors. Don’t forget that residual heat will finish off the baking once the bread is removed from the machine and the pan. If you’re having a problem with dry freshly machine baked bread, you might consider experimenting with using the light setting. One suggestion I’ve read is to let the bread stay in the machine for a few minutes on just the warm feature. Supposedly that will cook the bread interior & crust a bit more but, without the heating element on for baking, the bread will not get overly dry. I’ve never tried this, so I can’t guarantee its success.

I like evenly browned crusts, but I like bread that doesn’t get dry or stale even more. So, for me, if it’s a choice between overbaking in the machine to get the top crust color I want or having bread that will stay fresh longer, I’ll pick the moister, softer bread. Baking bread in the oven gives you much more control over the crust; that’s one reason I prefer using my oven. However, as I stated before, during the hot summer months, a bread machine baked loaf definitely suffices.

Be sure to let your bread cool completely. Cooling is actually part of the overall baking process. Bread should be allowed to come to room temperature after baking, because the heat retained inside continues to cook the bread. Cooling allows the moisture in the bread to re-distribute itself (similar to letting a grilled steak rest). Slicing it too early disrupts this process and the moisture escapes. If you cut into the bread before it's cool, it may still be gummy inside. However, if you simply cannot resist slicing into the warm bread, try this: place the bread, cut sides down, on a countertop or cutting board and cover with a tea towel until the loaf has cooled completely. This action should allow the moisture to redistribute itself almost as well as cooling the whole loaf.

Wrap the bread carefully to avoid staling. Cool the bread until you can wrap it without condensation gathering on the inside of the plastic wrap or bag. Make sure it is completely cooled. Just because the bread feels cool to the touch does not mean it is ready to wrap. Heat may still be trapped in the center of the loaf. Wrap the bread closely in plastic wrap or a tight-fitting plastic bag rather than a loose-fitting one. When bread is wrapped loosely in a plastic bag, its moisture eventually moves into the excess air trapped in the bag. This is even more prominent when the bread has one end sliced and removed or if you slice the entire loaf in advance. I only slice bread as needed so it stays fresh longer; I also keep the sliced heel in the bag, resting against the exposed part of the sliced loaf.

Some people like wrapping their bread in aluminum foil. I’ve had good luck with the green bags. If you don’t think you can eat up the entire loaf within 4-5 days, freeze part of it. Wrap it carefully in foil or plastic wrap and then place in a freezer bag, removing as much air as you can before closing. Some people place a paper towel over the bread before wrapping in plastic for freezing. They say that the paper towel absorbs excess moisture during the thawing process.

Add special ingredients to the dough to slow staling & drying out. The following may help:

• Fats and sweeteners
• Emulsifiers such as egg yolks or lecithin (granular or liquid)
• Dairy products like milk, sour cream, yogurt, or buttermilk (dried, canned, or fresh)
• Potato products like potato water, mashed potatoes, potato starch/flour, mashed potato flakes
• Oatmeal (dry or cooked)
• Cooked grains such as cracked wheat, rice, cereal blends, etc.
• Vegetables and fruits such as grated carrot, mashed sweet potato, raisins, etc.

Add a dough conditioner or enhancer. The Bread Machine Digest site has an informative discussion of common dough conditioning additives the home baker can use to lessen staling and improve texture. The site also has a few recipes for making homemade dough conditioners. The Baking 911 site also has a discussion of dough enhancers.

I routinely add 1 tbsp. of granular lecithin to all the yeast doughs I make. In the last few months, I’ve also started adding 1 tbsp. each of dried milk (non-instant) , powdered whole egg, and potato flour along with a teaspoon of diastatic malt powder . I also add vital wheat gluten to all the breads I make – 1 tbsp for white and 2 tbsp. for whole wheat. Because of all the extra powdered ingredients I add, I hold back about ¼ cup of flour when placing ingredients in the bread machine pan. Then I add more flour if necessary during the kneading process. I also use at least 1/3 cup of orange juice when making 100% whole wheat bread (I learned this trick from King Arthur Flour: “The orange juice won't add its own flavor to the bread, but will mellow any potential bitterness in the whole wheat.”). Adding some sort of acidic ingredient (ascorbic acid [Vitamin C], lemon juice, vinegar) to whole wheat yeast breads helps keep gluten bonds strong and also helps the yeast work longer and faster. I’ve found that these additions give my panned breads loaves a softer, moister, and more tender crumb and keep them from getting dry and stale. This is especially helpful when I make 100% whole wheat bread. The homemade bread is tender & light, almost like store bought but without all those weird ingredients.

Finally, after all is said and done, remember that it really is worth the trouble. You may wonder, after reading all the advice and helpful hints, if a bread machine is really a useful piece of equipment. My answer is an emphatic, “YES!” A bread machine is a great tool for those trying to follow a low sodium diet. First of all, keep in mind that most of my suggestions really deal with the pitfalls of making lower sodium bread – machine or no machine. Low sodium bread making has very real differences from ordinary bread making. All the finagling with yeast amounts, liquid to flour ratios, watching carefully for overproofing, etc. are part of the low sodium bread making experience whether or not you have a bread machine. What the bread machine does is take care of the kneading & rising, and if you want, the baking too.

In the past, I’ve used my own muscle power to make bread dough, my food processor, tried the artisan bread in 5-minutes recipe, and made batter breads. These methods all worked, but I like using a bread machine better. It does a superior job of kneading. Owning a bread machine has made it possible for me to supply my household with all kinds of lower sodium bread stuffs. The ability to rather easily make 2-3 different kinds of dough in succession without wearing myself out is a great benefit. Or being able to start a bread recipe late in the afternoon and have it baked in time for an after dinner snack. Or getting several doughs rising in the fridge for me to shape and bake the next day. The few minutes worth of checking the dough during the kneading cycle are absolutely nothing compared to the benefits.

Using the bread machine has meant that we have all kinds of good choices available for breakfasts, snacks, and sandwiches. Supermarket bread cannot compete with what I’m producing now. I’m able to make deliciously flavored breads and sandwich buns – seasoned with onion, dill, rosemary, caraway, black pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, chives, on & on – flavors I could never get from the supermarket. And they’re all lower sodium. Plus I can make true 100% whole wheat low sodium bread that has real substance to it and yet is not disgustingly squishy or sweet.

Next Post: Lower sodium breads without a bread machine.

Low Sodium Bread Revisited - Part 3

2010-05-02T10:28:00.001-07:00

Here are some more things I’ve learned while making low sodium breads with my bread maker:

Get to know your machine. Read your manual carefully before attempting to make bread in it. Pick one white bread recipe and one whole wheat recipe to experiment with, and make each recipe at least 2 times without deviation. Stay relatively close by during the machine’s progress and become familiar with the cycles and all the different sounds associated with each cycle.

Most manuals have charts of the different baking programs, listing the times for each cycle. The difficulty is that sometimes you’ll get a range of time rather than an exact time. For example, the kneading cycle may be indicated as 18 – 25 minutes. So you don’t know exactly when the kneading cycle will end. Using your machine’s countdown function, you can set a timer for the lowest possible number of minutes. When the timer beeps, you can listen carefully to your machine to determine if the kneading has stopped. If it hasn’t, keep close by for the next few minutes so you will know when kneading has really ended and rising has begun. Remember basic bread programs differ from whole wheat programs and dough-only programs. So you may have to determine times for at least three different programs. This may seem like a hassle, but knowing exactly how long the kneading cycle takes will be important when you need to make adjustments to the dough. You don’t want to be adding a tablespoon of liquid one minute before rising begins.

It took me a couple of uses to get the information I wanted about my machine’s white bread, whole wheat bread, and dough programs. I made notes on how long each cycle seemed to be and what weird sounds my machine made as each cycle progressed. Now I know when every cycle is going to take place and how long each cycle will take. That means I can set a kitchen timer at the perfect time to check my dough’s consistency during the knead and check to make sure the dough isn’t overproofing during the rise.

Make small loaves until you're completely comfortable making low sodium loaves in your machine. Use recipes for the smallest loaves your bread maker can handle. You don’t want to run the risk of the dough over-proofing and spilling over the bread pan and onto the heating elements. Also, the smaller the loaves, the quicker they will be used up. So you’ll be able to get more practice and experience using your machine. You’ll become more familiar with the idiosyncrasies of baking low sodium breads. And, if the bread turns out poorly, you won’t have wasted a large quantity of flour and other ingredients. Plus smaller loaves means that the bread will not be hanging around long enough to go stale or get too dry.

Start with plain white bread loaves. If you’re new to yeast bread making, it might be wise to make several white bread loaves in your machine before tackling more complex recipes. That way you’ll get a sense of what good quality bread dough feels like and what it looks like. Don’t complicate things by adding nuts or fruit or grains until you’re comfortable with your machine and with plain bread dough. Then gradually start making more complex white bread recipes. If you want, add some recipes with 50% white flour and 50% whole wheat flour. After you feel confident using your particular machine and in analyzing bread dough, experiment with 100% whole wheat bread recipes. Be kind to yourself. Give yourself time to learn your machine and experience success with it.

Use flavor components. Low or no salt versions of lean, rustic breads like French baguettes and ciabatta aren’t very tasty. That stands to reason since their main ingredients are just flour, water, yeast and salt. Eliminate the salt, and you basically get baked paste. So consider using recipes that call for buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream. The acid/sour component adds a flavor kick that low sodium breads lack. Sweeteners, fats, eggs, and dairy all add flavor to low sodium bread, so try to use recipes that have some of each.

Additions of spices and herbs (dried or fresh) can make bland low sodium breads more flavorful. Dried onion flakes and chopped chives are great, as are coarsely ground black pepper, dill seed and rosemary. Additions of nuts and seeds (especially if they're toasted) add both flavor and textural interest, again something that's often needed with the blander low sodium breads.

Consider using a biga, poolish or other pre-ferment/starter to add flavor to your low sodium bread. Find recipes made especially for bread machines so you can follow the correct techniques. Lean, french type breads really benefit from a pre-ferment or starter. The starters not only add flavor but help keep the loaves from drying out and going stale.

Sourdough starter is another good choice because you don’t need to use any yeast at all. As a result, you can really cut the salt content without any adverse affects. And the tangy, sour flavor doesn’t really need salt to taste good. (When I make sourdough bread, I put together the overnight starter sponge, and the next day I let the machine do the kneading. However, I put the dough in a bucket for a long, slow, cool rise. The machine is too warm to use for sourdough rising.)

Consider using some whole wheat flour in the dough. Because whole wheat flour is courser that white flour, it produces a denser, heavier loaf. Even a little bit of whole wheat flour helps offset the tendency for low sodium loaves to balloon and overproof. Whole wheat flour is a bit tricky, though. It absorbs liquid like a sponge, so sometimes it’s hard to determine whether or not you need to add more fluids. The perfect whole wheat dough consistency is still a bit tacky, so you may be tempted to add more flour. But adding more flour could result in dry, heavy loaves.

Don’t be afraid to experiment or of the occasional failure. Even the most experienced bread maker has had failed loaves. Every time you use your machine, you discover something new. It’s a never ending learning experience. You’ll eventually figure out the idiosyncrasies of your particular machine and discover which recipes work best for it. You’ll get a feel for which helpful hints will work and which should be ignored.

Even your so-called failures can be useful. Use the less-than-perfect loaves to make breadcrumbs. Those can be used in meatloaf & meatballs, for breading baked or fried fish or chicken, and for casserole & vegetable toppings. Cube up the bread for making croutons or your own homemade stuffing. Make bread pudding or strata. Or feed the birds!

Invest in a couple of good bread machine cookbooks. You will find helpful information about using bread machines in general, and you may find some great recipes too. Right now I’ve got three bread machine cookbooks: Beth Hensberger’s The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook, Bread Machines for Dummies, and Betty Crocker’s Best Bread Machine Cookbook. I’ve also got The Bread Machine Magic Book of Helpful Hints. For overall information on working with bread machines, I’d recommend the Dummies book and the Magic book. Beth Hensbergerger’s book has both wonderful information about using bread machines and a large selection of recipes, including several for artisan breads. The Betty Crocker book has a lot of bread recipes with different flavor combinations, something useful when dealing with lower sodium breads. King Arthur Flour recommends Bread Machine Baking - Perfect Every Time, by Lora Brody.

The biggest downside to most bread machine cookbooks is that they were published, for the most part, almost a decade ago (or more). Bread machine companies have discontinued models, added new models, added or changed features, changed parent companies, etc., and bread baking science has changed too. Just keep this in mind because along with the helpful hints & tips you may find some out-of-date information and techniques.

Keep notes on your bread making. Note even the smallest changes or additions you made with each recipe you use and jot down problems or successes. If you had to add 2 tbsp. of liquid because the dough seemed too dry. If the dough rose too quickly. If the baked loaf collapsed. If you added an extra tbsp. of gluten. All the small bits of information are important. Not only will they guide you when you follow the same recipe again, but they’ll give you ideas about what will work or not work with other recipes.

I keep a small notebook in my kitchen drawer. Every time I make a recipe using my machine (for bread or for dough) I note the date I made the bread, the source, the page number (if from a cookbook), the loaf size, any changes I made, if I needed to add liquid or flour, a critique of the finished loaf, and finally, any suggestions for next time. I’ve found these notes particularly helpful when I make the recipe again and have forgotten what I did the first time and what I wanted to try the next time. The notes help keep failures to a minimum.

Next Post: Keeping your lower sodium bread fresh.

Low Sodium Bread Revisited - Part 2

2010-04-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

Here are some things I’ve learned while making low sodium breads in general and low sodium breads with my bread maker in particular:

First and foremost, always keep in mind the role salt plays in yeast breads. This is a foundational truth if you’re going to have success with low salt or no salt yeast breads. Unfortunately, most low sodium bread recipe resources barely if ever discuss the vital role salt plays in yeast breads. It’s not just for flavor. Salt is a yeast inhibitor, so it helps keep the yeast in check. Salt also strengthens the gluten, so it helps the bread achieve & keep its desired shape. Otherwise, the dough would rise too quickly and result in ballooning loaves that would expand so much they couldn’t keep their integrity. They’d collapse in on themselves. You’d end up with sunken crater breads rather than nice tall loaves. You might find underdone doughy sections too. Although over-rising doesn’t affect taste that much, it sure negatively influences shape and texture.

Now, granted, that’s not always a big problem. If you’re going to just tear hunks of bread to accompany a soup dinner, then it may not matter much to you what shape the bread is in. But if you want nice slices for toast or sandwiches, shape & texture are important.

So everything you do with your bread dough must relate back to the vital role salt plays in the structure of bread – what kind of flour to use, how much flour to use, how much liquid to use, how much yeast to use, what kind of yeast to use, how soft the dough should be, how long the dough should rise (or proof) – all these things are related to the amount of salt in the yeast dough recipe.

When you bake low sodium or no sodium bread manually, you have more control than when baking in a bread machine. At almost any point you can add a bit more flour or liquid if necessary. You can keep an eye on your shaped bread while it is rising in the pan and immediately pop it into the oven before it overproofs. If the dough expands too much, you can always re-shape it and start the proofing over again.

On the other hand, when you bake in the bread maker, the machine follows its pre-set schedule. Once the kneading is done, there is very little you can do to make adjustments. If you’re not careful, you not only run the risk of collapsed loaves but the dough can expand so much that it spills over the bread pan and onto the heating elements. (Some breadmakers allow you to program your own homemade steps. Once you become familiar with your breadmaker, creating your own custom program specifically for baking low or no salt breads would be a great boon.)

So all the lower sodium planning and adjusting and compensating must be done before letting the machine get to the bake cycle.

Always use bread flour. The extra gluten in bread flour helps the dough structure, making it less vulnerable to overproofing. Beth Hensperger in The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook adds vital wheat gluten to all her bread machine recipes. She recommends adding at least 1-2 teaspoons of vital wheat gluten to each cup of white bread flour and 1-1/2 to 3 teaspoons per cup of whole grain flour in bread machine recipes. If you can’t find this product at your local grocery or natural foods stores, both Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Flour sell vital wheat gluten online.

You don’t need to sift your flour before measuring, but it helps to give it a stir to loosen it up a bit. Also, spoon the flour lightly into your measuring cup and level off with a knife; don’t scoop. You don’t want to pack the flour into the measuring cup.

Always check your dough during the kneading cycle. About 5 minutes after the rapid kneading has started, open the lid and check the consistency of the dough. It should be pulling away from the sides and bottom, forming a dough ball. Poke it and squeeze a bit between your thumb & forefinger. It should be tacky to the touch, slightly sticky and springy. It should be soft & pliable, yet firm. If it is crumbly and dry or the machine seems to be struggling, add 1 tbsp. of water at a time allowing a couple minutes of kneading before checking it again. If the dough is too wet, sloshing around like a batter, add 1 tbsp. of flour at a time allowing a couple minutes of kneading before checking it again. Let the machine thoroughly combine the addition before deciding to add more. Repeat this until the dough reaches the proper consistency. While checking the dough, scrape down the sides of the pan with a rubber spatula and pull flour out of the bottom corners if necessary. Avoid hitting the kneading paddle(s). My machine’s manual gives the length of time for each cycle, and the display has a count-down clock. So I just set my kitchen timer for about five minutes after the kneading process begins.

These adjustments are rarely if ever caused by machine malfunction. Nor are they usually the result of poorly written recipes. There are simply too many variables when baking bread. Weather alone plays an important part in bread making. Some days the humidity will affect the dough. Flours differ from brand to brand and even from batch to batch. A recipe that seemed to work perfectly a week ago may need an extra two tablespoons of liquid today. Or maybe a tablespoon more of flour. That’s why it’s important to always check the dough consistency. And that’s why I don’t use the delay function at all. I don’t want to wake up in the morning to a sunken, poorly baked loaf.

Avoid using too much yeast. With low or no salt breads, the amount of yeast must be cut dramatically. Most regular bread recipes call for about one packet of yeast (2 ¼ tsp.) per three cups of flour to 1 ½ tsp. salt. Interestingly enough, King Arthur Flour bread machine recipes often call for only 1 ½ tsp. yeast and 1 ½ tsp. salt to 3 ½ cups of flour (heavier whole grain bread machine recipes often have about 2 tsp. yeast). Remember to reduce the amount of yeast the same as the amount the salt is reduced. Again, as an example, if the salt content is reduced by half, then reduce the yeast by half. Obviously, if you’re making totally salt free bread, you need to reduce the yeast by at least half and watch the dough carefully during rising. Salt-free bread probably should not have more than about 1 tsp. yeast per three cups of flour. Anything more is inviting disaster. Every bread machine troubleshooting guide lists too little salt as a possible cause for collapsed machine baked loaves. Remember that without the full complement of salt to regulate yeast activity, your bread already has a natural predilection toward collapsing. So don’t add too much yeast to the dough.

Experiment with using regular active dry yeast. From King Arthur Flour: “We don’t recommend rapid-rise yeast, as it goes against one of the tenets of good bread making: the longer the rise (and fermentation process), the better the flavor... In other words: unless you are in a tremendous hurry, ignore the ‘rapid-bake’ cycle on your machine.” The authors of Bread Machines for Dummies also use active dry yeast for their bread machine recipes. The same goes for my Zojirushi manual. Even though many bread machine cookbooks call for the faster yeasts, lately I’ve been using the slower acting active dry yeast and think it lessens the tendency toward overproofing when baking with less salt. I don’t ever use the rapid bake cycle on my machine, though.

I also always use active dry yeast when making hamburger/sandwich buns, dinner rolls, bagels, cinnamon rolls, and any loaf bread I bake in the oven. Because it works a little slower than the rapid-rise or bread machine yeast, I don’t have to worry as much about overproofing.

Avoid overly soft dough. Every bread machine troubleshooting guide also lists too much liquid as a possible cause for collapsed machine baked loaves. Remember that without the full complement of salt to regulate yeast activity, your bread already has a natural tendency toward collapsing. So don’t add too much liquid to the dough.(Note: I find soft doughs perfect for hamburger/sandwich buns, dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, and small, individually shaped breads. They don’t need to rise as high as standard loaves, and their smaller shape and shorter baking time allow for using a softer dough without any problems.)

Avoid over-risen dough. From King Arthur Flour: “For those of you who don’t want to use salt, remember that salt is a yeast inhibitor; salt-free bread will rise much more quickly and vigorously than bread with salt. When you eliminate salt from your recipe, you’ll need to reduce the amount of yeast, and perhaps even bake bread on the ‘rapid-bake’ cycle to keep it reined in sufficiently.” Beth Hensberger also suggests using the quick-bake cycle to avoid overproofed dough. Use rapid-rise or bread machine yeast if you use your quick bake cycle.

Some bread machine guides suggest poking the top of the dough with a toothpick to let some of the excess air escape if the dough has risen too high on the last rise. This supposedly will help avoid the loaf's top from caving in or contacting the lid. I haven’t tried this so I can’t guarantee its success.

Just a precaution: If you’re baking in the bread machine, be sure to check the dough frequently during both kneading & rising. If the dough seems to be rising so quickly that it might overflow the pan, remove it and continue with rising, shaping, & baking manually.

One of the reasons I prefer baking in the oven is because I can pretty much avoid overproofing problems. The shaped and/or panned dough is sitting on the counter where I can see it at a glance. I’m not at the mercy of a pre-programmed schedule. Once I see that the dough has come close to doubling, I pop it into the oven. Most authoritative bread making sources now advise baking dough when it has not quite doubled in size. Oven spring, the term that describes the rapid increase in the volume of a bread during the first few minutes of baking, can be pretty strong in lower sodium breads. So letting the dough get to double or beyond may result in a sunken loaf. The dough will expand so much in the first minutes of baking that it collapses in on itself. For sandwiches, I find it easier to make hamburger buns than sandwich bread. The buns are less prone to overproofing and are super easy to keep in the freezer.

Next Post: More things I’ve learned while making low sodium breads with my bread maker.

Low Sodium Bread Revisited - Part 1

2010-04-18T14:36:00.000-07:00

The next few posts will focus on making lower sodium bread. I didn’t really get interested in bread baking until my husband was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Before that I had made a lot of yeast dough products – cinnamon rolls, orange rolls, cream cheese braids, etc. But I had never been interested in regular bread loaves. That all changed when I realized how much salt was in commercially prepared bread products.

Grocery store or bakery breads may contain anywhere from 140mg. – 220 mg. sodium per slice. Because they’re small, dinner rolls are about the same as bread slices. Sandwich/hamburger buns can range from 290 mgs. to over 480 mgs. sodium per bun, and bagels are around 420 mg. each. Flatbreads and wrap-sized flour tortillas can get close to the 600 mg. mark. None of this is very good news if you’re on a low sodium diet.

The problem is not in eating a slice or two of store-bought bread or having an occasional dinner roll with your evening meal. It’s the cumulative effect of eating bread stuffs at every meal. Slices of toast or a bagel in the morning. A sandwich on a French roll for lunch. Or maybe a stuffed wrap or pita. A couple of soft dinner rolls with supper. Add it all up, and you’ve accumulated a hefty portion of your sodium allotment for the day without even considering the meats, cheese, condiments, sauces, etc. also present in the various meals.

That’s why making homemade bread is encouraged; you can control the sodium content. However making your own homemade lower sodium bread is easier said than done. Some people simply don’t have the time to devote to bread making. Others don’t have very much experience or even interest. Thankfully, there is help available for the reluctant or inexperienced bread baker: useful appliances include food processors and stand mixers; helpful recipe techniques include batter breads, the famous 5-minute a day artisan breads, and the equally famous no-knead breads. All these make preparing the bread dough much easier, but they also require shaping manually and baking in the oven. Only one appliance completes the entire process – from kneading, to rising, to baking: Enter the “Automatic Bread Machine.” Thanks to bread machines, a person on a low sodium diet is no longer at the mercy of the grocery store bread aisles.

Several good quality bread machines are available. I have a Zojirushi, but I’ve heard great things about Panasonic, Sunbeam, and Breadman machines. If you’re interested in purchasing one, I recommend perusing the Bread Machine Digest web site. In particular, check out the bread machine review section at the bottom of the home page. Also take a look at the bread machine listings on Amazon for additional reviews. Amazon also has a good selection of bread machine cookbooks.

Bread machines are fairly easy and convenient to use. You simply add the ingredients (flour, liquid, salt, yeast, etc.) in the order suggested by the manufacturer. You only need to check the dough a couple of times during the kneading process to make adjustments such as adding a bit more liquid or flour depending on the dough’s consistency. The machine does the rest of the work – all the mixing and kneading. Then you decide how you want to use the dough. You can let the machine bake a loaf or you can remove the dough to make free-form loaves, buns, rolls, bagels, pizza, etc. You can also take the dough out after kneading and place it in a covered container for a slow, cool, overnight rise. This option is especially helpful when your baking activities are interrupted. Just a word of warning, however. Lessening or eliminating the salt content in any bread recipe and particularly in bread machine recipes requires more oversight. It adds complications that full-salt recipes don’t have.

I make all our breakfast breads – oat scones, biscuits, bran muffins, waffles, toasting bread, and bagels, etc. Recently I added cinnamon swirl bread to the list. I use Featherweight sodium free baking powder for the quick breads and freeze everything for later use. I slice the cinnamon swirl bread and separate the slices with parchment paper squares (the kind used to separate hamburger patties). I separate the waffles in the same way. I also make all our sandwich & hamburger buns and freeze them.

About every two weeks I have a baking marathon. Depending on what I’m running low on, I’ll make one or two quick breads and one or two yeast dough products. That way I know there’s always some variety available for breakfasts, and I can make quick sandwiches or paninis for lunches. It’s not unusual for me to make bagels and hamburger buns plus either a loaf bread or some dinner rolls all in one day. I can get one recipe started in my bread machine, take it out after it’s kneaded to rise in a separate container, and then get started on another recipe. I do the same with the second recipe, and finally, I’ll let the third recipe actually rise in the machine. In the meantime, as the doughs rise, I’ll shape and bake them. By the time I’m done, I’ve got bread products for several weeks.

If I’m making panned loaves, I prefer to bake them in my oven. I think I have better control over the finished product, and I like the oven-baked crust better. Nevertheless, it’s amazing how my pickiness disappears during the middle of our hot Sacramento summers. Then suddenly a less than perfect crust doesn’t seem like such a problem.

There are basically three kinds of low sodium recipes one can use in a bread machine:

Bread recipes written specifically for low sodium diets. If the recipes were created for bread machines, simply follow them. If they were written for manual kneading or a standing mixer, then you’ll have to place the ingredients in your machine according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Both the Megaheart and Low Sodium Cooking websites list several low sodium bread recipes, many of which are written for the automatic bread machine.

Bread recipes written specifically for bread machines. The Bread Machine Digest website mentioned above has a huge list of bread machine recipes as does King Arthur Flour’s site. To lower the sodium content, you will have to lessen the amount of salt in the recipes. Salt serves to control the rate of yeast fermentation. In simple terms, salt keeps the yeast under control. Yeast dough made without salt or with a lower salt content will rise much faster and could collapse. A good rule of thumb to remember is to reduce the amount of yeast the same as the amount the salt has been reduced. For example, if the salt content is reduced by half, then reduce the yeast by half. Obviously, if you’re making totally salt free bread, you need to reduce the yeast by at least half and watch the dough carefully during rising. It will probably rise at close to double speed, so you need to check it often. Do not let it overproof or it will collapse once it starts baking. Even if you have lowered the amount of yeast used, it still is important to watch the dough as it is rising to avoid over proofing

Bread recipes not written specifically for bread machines. You will need to place the ingredients in the machine according to the order recommended by the manufacturer and you will need to adjust both the salt and yeast quantities.

I don’t use low sodium bread recipes mainly because some seem to use too much yeast for the amount of flour called for. I don’t want to worry more than necessary about overproofing, and I sure don’t want to end up with collapsed & misshapen loaves. I also find the taste of completely salt-free yeast breads extremely bland, even with flavor additions, so I usually just halve the salt content.

A Rant: My biggest frustration with lower sodium bread machine recipes is that the pitfalls of lower sodium yeast bread baking are hardly ever discussed. You get the mistaken impression that all you need to do is dump the ingredients in the machine, turn it on, walk away, and miraculously a couple of hours later you’ll have perfect, tasty, lower sodium bread. Just as good as a professional bakery’s. You barely had to do any work at all. And you didn’t have to know anything about bread baking either. It’s just not that simple!

Next Post: Things I’ve learned while making low sodium breads with my bread maker.

More New Products

2010-04-08T10:37:00.000-07:00

Well, at least they're new to me. Several weeks ago I was aimlessly wandering around in my favorite local supermarket when I found myself in the natural foods department. It had been a while since I studied the contents of its freezer section, so I stared at it looking for something new and interesting. My eyes rested on some packages of Amy's frozen foods that were labeled "Light in Sodium." I'd never seen them before and was immediately intrigued. In fact, I grabbed an assortment and stuck them in my basket. A few days later I was in my local health foods store and looked for more Amy's "Light in Sodium" products. Interestingly enough, the health food store had less of a variety than the grocery store, but I was able to find a couple of canned soups. About a week later when I was visiting my local Safeway, I discovered a few more of the Amy's "Light in Sodium" canned soups.

We've been trying out these products little by little, and so far, I've been favourably impressed. They all taste pretty good. I especially liked Mexican Casserole Bowl . It reminded me of tamale pie. The Indian Mattar Paneer and the Black Bean Enchiladas were good too. My husband has had both the Vegetable Lasagna and the Macaroni and Cheese while I've had the Shepherd's Pie a couple of times. So far the only items I didn't care fore were the Veggie Loaf Meal and the Brown Rice & Veggies Bowl. Something about the texture in both of those didn't appeal to me -- too mushy. But I've enjoyed all the soups.

The entrees range in sodium content from 290 mg. to 390 mg. per serving while the soups range from 280 mg. to 340 mg. per serving. Not bad when compared to most grocery store frozen food offerings or soups. Amy's specializes in vegetarian & organic ingredients, so you won't find meat anywhere. As a result, most of their products are low in calories and fat. One thing I really appreciate about all the Amy's products is that they are made from real ingredients. No weird stabilizers, additives, flavor enhancers, etc. The one thing I don't like about the products is the cost. They are definitely more expensive than what you'd find in the regular freezer section. So they're probably not a good option for every day use. But for emergencies -- those strange days when you're running behind because everything took far longer than anticipated -- they're great. I've got a mini stockpile in my freezer and my pantry for just such days.

Spring has Sprung!

2010-04-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

All my local grocery stores are selling asparagus now. They’re a great vegetable for anyone on a low sodium diet. Perfect steamed, sautéed in stir fries, and especially tasty when roasted in a bit of olive oil.

A while ago I found a recipe in Better Homes and Gardens magazine for asparagus risotto. Although I’ve always been intrigued by risotto, most recipes call for some sort of wine and/or inordinate amounts of Parmesan cheese. I never use wine in my cooking, and too much Parmesan cheese is a no-no when trying to eat & cook low sodium. The recipe clipping languished in my “To Try” files for almost two years before I finally got around to making it. I’m glad I did because it’s a wonderful dish.

The thing that sets it aside from other risotto recipes is the use of lemon -- both the zest and juice. That little bit of lemon goes a long way toward making the lower sodium version tasty. Here’s the recipe and my notes for making a lower sodium version:

Asparagus-Leek Risotto

¾ lb. asparagus spears, trimmed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1½ cups sliced leeks (You could substitute scallions or other onions)
1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth* (Warning below)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I used just 2-3 tablespoons)
2 Tbsp. snipped fresh parsley (The fresh herb adds a special zing; add more if you like)
½ tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (I used an additional Tbsp.)
¼ tsp. freshly ground course black pepper
Lemon slices (or thin wedges) and Lemon peel

Place asparagus in single layer on baking sheet. Brush (or drizzle) with 1 tbsp. olive oil; lightly sprinkle salt and black pepper. (I lined the baking sheet with aluminum foil and omitted the salt) Bake uncovered, in 450 degree oven about 10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Cool slightly. Cut two-thirds in 2-inch pieces; set aside all asparagus.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan cook leeks in remaining olive oil until tender. Stir in uncooked rice. Cook and stir over medium heat about 5 minutes or until rice begins to turn golden brown.

In another saucepan bring broth to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer. Carefully stir 1 cup of hot broth into rice mixture. Cook stirring frequently, over medium heat until liquid is absorbed. Then add ½ cup broth at a time, stirring frequently until broth is absorbed before adding more broth (about 22 minutes).

Stir in any remaining broth, cook and stir just until rice is tender and creamy.

Stir in asparagus pieces, cheese, parsley, lemon peel, lemon juice and pepper. Top with reserved asparagus spears, lemon slices, and peel. (Each person can use the wedges to add an extra squeeze of lemon juice for even more flavor)

I served the risotto with some quickly seared beef tenderloin tips and a gravy I made from Herb-Ox Beef Flavored Sodium Free Bouillon Instant Packets. All in all, a wonderful springtime meal.

This risotto recipe can easily be adapted to other vegetables. I think green peas would work well, perhaps with a sprinkling of finely chopped mint as a garnish. Also, you could substitute sliced and sauteed mushrooms instead of the leeks or onions. Finely minced garlic would be another great addition. The recipe provides a nice jumping off point for utilizing any fresh vegetable.

*Beware! Most lower sodium broth products sold in grocery stores are still too high in sodium for someone on a restricted diet. I use either K it chen Basics Unsalted Chicken Stock or Minor’s Low Sodium Chicken Base.

A Helpful Tool

2009-11-22T15:08:00.000-08:00

I’m talking about my George Foreman Grill. I use it a lot, especially at lunchtime. It’s the perfect appliance for making grilled sandwiches. For example, today I made my husband a grilled turkey sandwich. Colombus Reduced Sodium Sliced Turkey from Trader Joe’s, sliced Swiss cheese (naturally low in sodium) also from Trader Joe’s, a dab of mustard, thinly sliced onion, and half a roasted poblano/pasilla chile pepper, all between two slices of my own homemade low sodium 100% whole wheat bread. The grilling elevated the lunch from a humble turkey sandwich to something special. And believe me, when you’re following a low sodium diet, you need to do whatever you can to make ordinary meals special. No matter what anyone says about eventually getting used to the lack of salt in foods, you really do miss its flavor punch. So you need to look for creative ways to add pizazz – through additional flavorings and seasonings, textural interest, and visual appeal. A grilled sandwich with its crunchy outside and toasty bread takes care of texture, taste, and visual attraction. Adding the onion & roasted chile boosted flavor appeal.

I often make grilled corn tortilla tacos on the George Foreman Grill too. If I have leftover chicken, pork, or beef, I’ll slice it up thinly for the taco filling. A shake of a salt-free Mexican style seasoning and a slice of Swiss also go into the filling. Or sometimes, I’ll just use some slices of the low sodium deli turkey. If I’ve got some roasted chiles, I’ll throw some of those in. I love using corn tortillas because I can easily find a brand that is completely salt free. I like the flavor & aroma of warmed tortillas, and they’re really great slightly toasted and a bit crispy.

I simply spray some Pam on the grill after its heated, place my tortillas inside, spray them a bit, and close the lid. After a minute or so, once the tortillas have softened, I flip them over and fill them. Then I close the lid again and let them cook until both sides are a bit crispy. Sometimes I’ll turn the filled tortillas over. Because I’m not frying the tacos, the tortillas will not get super crisp & crunchy, but that’s OK with me. In fact, I prefer them when they’re at the chewy & slightly crispy stage. I serve the tacos with a low sodium salsa. Again, a pretty good tasting lunch.

And I use the grill for crisping up corn tortillas all by themselves. I do the same thing as for tacos but leave the tortillas flat and in the grill until both sides are truly crisp and slightly browned. Much easier than using the oven or stove-top griddle. I can heat up soup or chili, make a salad, or whatever while the tortillas are crisping up in the grill.

I also use the Foreman grill for bacon, up to six slices at a time. Much easier than the frying pan with none of the splattering & mess. Of course, I’m talking about low sodium bacon. (However, when I cook up an entire package of bacon at one time, I’ll use the oven. And then, once the bacon is all cooked, I’ll wrap it up in bundles of four slices and freeze them.) I’ve also made French toast on the grill.

It’s great for quick meals of grilled boneless pork chops, beef tenderloin steaks*, and boneless chicken breasts. I’ll grill an entire pork tenderloin too. Sometimes I butterfly it and other times I just grill it and keep turning it until all side are cooked. And I use it frequently for grilled vegetables. I love grilling eggplant, peppers, and squash with it. I’ve even grilled slices of potato.

I haven’t had any problems with cleaning it either. If I cook something like a grilled sandwich, I just wipe it down with a damp paper towel. If I’ve cooked something that leaves a residue, I place a couple of wet paper towels in it once I’m done cooking, close the lid, and let the steam soften the cooked on “stuff.” Later, the grill usually wipes clean with just a couple of paper towels.

There are all kinds of sizes available. This is the size I have now. I use it so often that I just leave it on my kitchen island. I only put it away when we have special company that I want to impress with my immaculate and clutter free kitchen.

*A few months ago I bought an entire beef tenderloin from Costco. It was pricier than hamburger, but I’ve gotten a tremendous amount of meals from it. I spent about an hour cutting it up and packaging it for the freezer. Lots of 4 ounce steaks, lots of 6-8 ounce packages of beef “tips” from the weird pieces, and a couple of small roasts. I use the “tips” for stir fries and gravy type dishes.

"Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!"

2009-11-08T12:15:00.000-08:00

A line from my husband's favorite movie, "21." And that's what we had last night, a chicken dinner. And it was, indeed, a winner! All my local grocery stores have had Foster Farms whole chickens on sale lately. A couple of days ago I was shopping and decided on a whim to pick up yet another whole chicken. Foster Farms is a California brand and all their fresh chicken products are free of the saline solution found in other brands. So when their chicken parts are on sale, I usually grab up several packages at a time.

Roasting a whole chicken is one of the easiest and tastiest meals for anyone watching their sodium intake. The chicken really does not need any salt if it is seasoned correctly. So many flavor combinations are possible: lemon with oregano or rosemary or thyme; tarragon with chopped shallots and artichoke hearts; Cajun or Creole; barbecue rub and/or sauce; poultry seasoning; South-of-the-Border chili powder; garlic... Basically, if you can dream it up, you can probably season a roast chicken with it. Of course, it goes without saying, that the seasoning blends should be salt free and any sauces should be extremely low in sodium content.

One of my favorite blends for whole roasted chicken is Penz y's Mural of Flavor. It's a mild all-purpose seasoning that's simply wonderful with chicken and pork. (It reminds me of my former favorite table salt, Vege Sal. I liked using it because it wasn't just straight salt. Even before the low sodium days I disliked the taste of a blanket of salt on my food. As a result, I rarely ever salted my food at the table. Whenever I felt something needed an extra punch at the table, I'd use Vege Sal.)

Preparing the 4-1/2 pound chicken was easy. I cut off the big globs of fat, removed the innards, and wiped it down (inside & out) with paper towels. Then I sprinkled and rubbed Mural of Flavor all over it. I placed the seasoned bird on a rack in a baking pan just a little bit larger than the chicken, and I put it uncovered in the refrigerator to completely dry out. I also placed two crumpled up paper towels in the cavity to absorb any excess moisture. About 45 minutes before roasting, I took the chicken out of the fridge to lose the chill. I also removed the paper towels from the cavity and seasoned it with some Mural of Flavor. I pre-heated the oven to 450 degrees and roasted the chicken breast side down for about 45 minutes. Then I flopped it over and continued roasting it for about another 20 minutes. I didn't use a thermometer, just wiggled the legs, took it out and let it rest.

While the chicken was resting, I made a quick side dish of Lower Sodiu m Stove Top Stuffing. When prepared according to package directions, it has about 250 mg. sodium per 1/2 cup serving. Whenever I make it, I always add some vegetables to cut the sodium content even more. This time I added about 3/4 cup each of chopped celery and onions that I sauteed in 2 tbsp. of unsalted butter. I also used Minor's low sodium chicken broth base for the liquid.

And there you have it. Chicken and stuffing served with a small salad. There are enough leftovers for tonight's dinner and chicken salad sandwiches for tomorrow's lunch. "Winner, winner, chicken dinner!"

Baking Marathon

2009-11-01T14:42:00.000-08:00

Fall has finally arrived in my neck of the woods and I’ve gotten busy baking. I really like to spend a couple of days in a baking marathon and then freeze everything. I especially enjoy having a variety of breakfast items in the freezer. That way my husband can help himself when he gets up in the morning (usually a couple of hours earlier than me). Then, we I finally drag myself out of bed, I can easily fix myself something too.

One of my favorite breakfast treats remains oatmeal scones. They’re not too sweet and chock full of old fashioned rolled oats. I’ve discovered another recipe that I really like. It’s from Quaker, the oatmeal folks. One thing I really like is that the scones are short & buttery not cake-like. Also, because the quantity of flour & oatmeal is less than my other recipe, the scones aren’t as huge or as filling.

The recipe can be found on the Quaker Oats site here. I’ve made some changes, though. First of all I used brown sugar because I like the flavor. I also used unsalted butter and the sodium free baking powder, Featherweight. Of course, I omitted the salt. The first time I made this recipe, I felt the scones were a bit too short and, therefore, very crumbly. So I’ve lessened the butter down to 7 tablespoons. I also use 1/4 cup of white whole wheat flour. Lately I’ve been including dried sour cherries. And, finally, I don’t sprinkle on any cinnamon/sugar topping, but I do brush the scones with cream before baking.

When my son & his family visited a few weeks ago I decided to give blueberry muffins a try. I found a “guaranteed" blueberry muffin recipe on the King Arthur Flour site. I followed the recipe exactly using the sodium free baking powder and yogurt. I didn’t sprinkle the muffins with sugar nor did I use any salt. I’ve explained before that my experiences using a sodium free baking soda product were not satisfactory, so I use the regular store-bought stuff. These turned out really well and were a big hit with my granddaughters.

Then I tried out an oatmeal muffin recipe that had been posted on the Harvest Forum. You can probably guess that I’m a sucker for oatmeal in baked goods, so I was sure I’d enjoy these muffins. I used brown sugar, plain yogurt, sodium-free baking powder and omitted the salt. I decided to make these with butterscotch chips (I added just a half cup because I figured the butterscotch chips would be really sweet). They came out perfectly. The oatmeal muffin part is not overly sweet. I think it’s a good basic recipe that could be adapted to include all kinds of add-ins.

And to finish off my quick bread baking marathon, I made the Cook’s Illustrated recipe for drop biscuits. I discovered this recipe a while ago and have been making it ever since. It’s easy because it doesn’t require patting out dough and the flavor is really good. I used the sodium free baking powder and Knudsen brand buttermilk because it's the lowest I’ve found in sodium. I also omitted the salt.

The thing that really sets this recipe apart from other drop biscuit recipes is the technique for combining the buttermilk and the butter. “When you stir slightly cooled melted butter into cold buttermilk, the butter will clump. Although this might look like a mistake, it's one of the secrets to this recipe. The clumps of butter are similar to the small bits of cold butter in biscuits prepared according to the traditional method and help guarantee a light and fluffy interior.”

Cook’s offers three flavorful variations – Bacon & Black Pepper, Cheddar & Scallion, and Parmesan & Rosemary. I’ve made the plain and cheddar & scallion versions. This time around I made a Parmesan & black pepper variation using only 1/4 cup of grated Parm. The suggested quantities are listed below:

6 strips bacon , cut in half lengthwise and then crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Best Drop Biscuits
Makes 12 Biscuits. Published November 1, 2007. From Cook's Illustrated.

If buttermilk isn't available, powdered buttermilk added according to package instructions or clabbered milk can be used instead. To make clabbered milk, mix 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and let stand 10 minutes. A 1/4-cup (#16) portion scoop can be used to portion the batter. To refresh day-old biscuits, heat them in a 300-degree oven for 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup buttermilk (cold)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly (about 5 minutes), plus 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing biscuits

Instructions:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Combine buttermilk and 8 tablespoons melted butter in medium bowl, stirring until butter forms small clumps.

Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated and batter pulls away from sides of bowl. Using greased 1/4-cup dry measure, scoop level amount of batter and drop onto parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet (biscuits should measure about 2 1/4 inches in diameter and 1 1/4 inches high). Repeat with remaining batter, spacing biscuits about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until tops are golden brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes.

Brush biscuit tops with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Tale of Three Vegetables

2009-09-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago I went into cooking marathon mode. I made some cracked wheat bread, pizza dough, and three vegetable dishes: Eggplant Bake, Summer Squash Casserole, and Braised Sweet & Sour Red Cabbage. The eggplant and squash were purchased from my local farmers market and the red cabbage came from the local grocery store. I made the tomato sauce for the eggplant and pizza from my home-grown tomatoes & basil.

I washed, halved, and seeded a pile of tomatoes and set them to cooking over a medium-high heat. I didn’t bother peeling them. As they cooked, they released a lot of liquid, so I took the pot cover off to let the tomatoes cook down. Eventually they began to thicken, and, at that time, I added some extra virgin olive oil, about three large handfuls of coarsely chopped fresh basil, and four minced garlic cloves. I also tossed in a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. I used tongs to remove some of the skins. Once the mixture had cooked down and reduced, I used my hand held blender to break up any tomato clumps and puree the remaining skins. The resulting salt-free sauce is perfect for pasta, pizza, and eggplant.

The eggplants I picked were small and firm, so I just peeled them and grilled them on my George Foreman grill. Then I layered the grilled eggplant slices with my tomato sauce and some thin slices of fresh mozzarella cheese. Fresh mozzarella is much lower in sodium than the regular stuff. I usually buy Mozzarella Fresca brand; it has only 95 mg. sodium per 1 oz. serving. I ended up with two layers of eggplant and cheese. Then I topped everything off with some homemade breadcrumbs tossed with olive oil, minced garlic, and a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese.

I wanted to try a low sodium version of a squash casserole I’d seen on many web sites. It contains squash, cream of mushroom soup, cheese, and stuffing mix. I had noticed last week that my local grocery store was now carrying the truly low sodium version of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup. In the past, if I wanted to use canned cream of mushroom soup, I’d pick Campbell’s Healthy Request with 470 mg. per ½ cup serving. But the ready-to-serve Low Sodium Cream of Mushroom Soup has only 60 mg. for the entire 10.5 oz. can. Before I’d only been able to get it online. Be forewarned, though. Without all the excess salt, the soup is pretty bland. So I livened things up a bit by adding a squirt of Worcestershire sauce.

Most of the squash casserole recipes I looked at called for boiling the squash and onions together until the vegetables were tender. Then draining, mashing, and finally combining with the soup. I decided to just saute the cubed squash with onions in some unsalted butter. I added some sliced mushrooms I had on hand too. Once the vegetables were almost tender, I added the soup and let everything cook over a medium-low heat until the vegetables were completely cooked (but not mushy). I plopped the squash mixture into a casserole dish and topped it with three ounces of shredded cheese – a mixture of extra sharp cheddar and naturally low sodium Swiss. Instead of stuffing mix, I combined some more homemade breadcrumbs with melted butter and hefty pinches of thyme and savory and sprinkled the mixture over the casserole.

Finally, I followed the red cabbage recipe I wrote about in 2008. It was the perfect accompaniment to the other creamy and cheesy vegetable dishes. I baked the two casseroles while the cabbage was simmering on the stove top. The great thing about this vegetable trio is that it made a tasty vegetarian dinner and the leftovers have been great for quick, no-fuss lunches.

Low Sodium Supermarket Dining: The Produce Aisle, Part 2

2009-09-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

Let's keep exploring the wonders of today's modern supermarket produce section and how it can help in the low sodium diet battle.

Sizzling outside? How about a main dish salad? Nothing could be simpler, thanks again to the produce section. Grab a bag or two of your favorite lettuce mix. Take a look at all the prepped vegetables available and pick out your favorites ‒ sliced mushrooms, chopped red peppers, snow peas, grated carrots, cherry or grape tomatoes. Be sure to also pick up some green onions. What’s a salad without some onion? Then head over to the canned food section and grab a can or two of lower sodium tuna. Or maybe some low sodium sliced turkey at the full service deli. If you’re ambitious, you could pick up a couple of fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts to either grill or poach. Maybe even a fillet of salmon to grill or poach. Don’t forget some Swiss cheese to grate, chunk, or julienne. For some extra crunch, how about some croutons? Most produce sections display various packages. Of course, you’ll want to check the sodium content. Or you could throw in a handful of slivered or sliced toasted almonds or some toasted pine nuts. Some salads lend themselves to the addition of fruit – grapes, dried cranberries, pear slices, apple chunks, etc. Put it altogether, and you’ve got a filling yet delicious main dish salad perfect for those hot summer days.

You could even use a creamy salad dressing from the produce refrigerated section. There really are ways to lower the overall sodium content. The serving size for most bottled dressings is two tablespoons, but that’s probably not going to be enough for a main dish salad. If the refrigerated salad dressing is really thick, simply blend it with some plain old water. I usually use equal parts dressing & water. But you could also use 2 parts dressing to one part water. That will extend the dressing so you can use more but not increase the sodium content. Also, the thinner dressing will cover the greens better. Here’s a method that is good to use with thinner creamy salad dressings: Just combine ¼ cup hot water (I heat it in the microwave) with about ½ teaspoon unflavored gelatin. Once the gelatin has dissolved completely, you can combine the mixture with at least 1¼ cups creamy salad dressing. This will lower the salt content somewhat, yet keep the consistency about the same. The only disadvantage to this method is that you’ll need to refrigerate the amended dressing for at least 1 hour for the gelatin to set up. You can also blend equal parts dressing with sour cream or thick, Greek-style yogurt. You can modify the purchased dressing each time you serve a salad by blending everything in a small bowl. Or, if you use the dressing regularly, you could save a bottle when you’re finished with it. Wash it and then the next time you purchase the dressing, pour half of it into the cleaned bottle. Then add whatever extenders you want and whisk well. By using a second bottle, you could combine the gelatin method with the sour cream method to lower salt content even more yet keep the creamy consistency. An added plus, is that you’ll save money by stretching your salad dressing dollars. And finally, another trick is to pre-dress the salad greens with vinegar and oil. Then add just the serving size of prepared dressing. The pre-dressing will flavor the greens and also add moisture so that the creamy dressing will cover the salad more easily.

In the mood for some spaghetti? Simple! Head off to the grocery store and pick out the jarred pasta sauce with the lowest sodium content. Classico Roasted Garlic is one of the lowest. Then pick up a package of your favorite pasta shape. From there, hit the canned vegetable section to get a can of no-salt-added tomato sauce. Mosey on over to the butcher shop and pick up some ground beef, pork or turkey. And finally, breeze through the produce aisles. Get some sliced mushrooms, green onions, already chopped bell peppers, fresh basil, and your favorite form of convenient garlic. Celery sticks and/or carrot sticks aren’t such a bad idea either. Shredded carrots would work too. Once home, get the meat sautéing and add all the vegetables (chop up the celery and carrots). When the meat is browned and the vegetables are tender, throw in the jarred sauce and salt-free tomato sauce. Let this all simmer together for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the amount of pasta needed in unsalted water and drain. Return the pasta to the pot, add a bit of the sauce, some chopped up fresh basil, and let it cook over low heat for a few minutes so the pasta can absorb some of the sauce’s flavor. Serve the pasta with a few additional spoonfuls of sauce, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, maybe another sprinkling of chopped basil, and just a dusting of Parmesan cheese. The resulting dish will be tasty, convenient, yet a whole lot lower in sodium content than using spaghetti sauce straight from the jar.

How about a stir fry? Nothing could be easier. Pick up some salt-free boneless & skinless chicken breasts at the butcher’s section. Or maybe some boneless pork chops. Slice them thinly when you get home. If you don’t want to fuss with all the slicing, just get some ground pork, chicken, or turkey. At the produce section, get every kind of prepared vegetable that appeals to you ‒ coleslaw cabbage mix, chopped peppers, shredded carrots, sugar peas, green onions, bean sprouts, sliced mushrooms, broccoli and/or cauliflower florets ‒ whatever strikes your fancy. Or just pick up a couple of bags of already prepared stir-fry mix. Be sure to pick up your favorite convenient garlic & ginger and some cilantro. At home, marinate the meat briefly with a couple teaspoons of low sodium soy sauce, a dribble of toasted sesame oil, some garlic, and a dash of five spice powder. Brown the meat in some oil and begin adding vegetables, starting with the ones that would take longest to cook. Serve the mixture over rice and garnish with chopped cilantro and perhaps a sprinkling of toasted sliced almonds.

Need a one-pot wonder? Pick up one of the Rice-A-Roni low sodium mixes. At 730 mg. sodium per serving, they’re not really low sodium. Better than the regular stuff, but nothing to brag about. However, there’s a way to work with them. While grocery shopping, be sure to pick up some regular old fashioned plain white rice. Grab some ground beef, pork, or turkey too. And finally decide on the vegetables you’d like. They’ll need to be able to stand up to about 20 minutes of cooking. Chopped celery & carrot sticks would work, as would sliced mushrooms and chopped green onions. When you get home, sauté the meat in a bit of oil. Add the vegetables while the meat is cooking, Once the meat is slightly browned, begin preparing the Rice-a-Roni according to package directions. But… add about ¼ cup plain white rice to the packaged rice mixture. Increase the liquid by about ½ cup to accommodate the additional rice quantity. Throw in a handful of frozen peas at the end to boost the vegetable content even more. Serve with a sprinkling of sliced almonds or chopped chives. The end result will be a whole lot better sodium-wise than if you simply followed the Rice-a-Roni package directions.

For a Spanish rice dish, follow the same technique. Just use a can of no-salt-added tomato sauce for part of the liquid. Add some chopped onions and peppers and a hefty handful of frozen corn or no-salt-added canned corn to the rice mixture. Season with some salt-free chili blend and a bit of cumin powder. Toss in a well rinsed & drained can of low sodium/no-salt-added black beans before serving and garnish with chopped cilantro.

You can use this basic technique with any of the packaged rice mixes including Zatarain’s. Just start with the lowest sodium mix you can find, always add at least ¼ - ⅓ cup plain white rice, and throw in all kinds of extra vegetables.

You can do something similar with Stove Top Stuffing Mix. There’s a lower sodium version that’s only 250 mg. per ½ cup serving. If you sauté some chopped celery, green onions, and sliced mushrooms in a bit of oil before starting the package directions, you’ll lower the sodium content even more. You can even throw in a handful of frozen corn for more nutrition, fiber, and less sodium.

You can even modify Hamburger Helper. Read about my adventures using this product here. First choose a flavor that’s not over the top in sodium content. Then follow the basic package instructions but be sure to remove at least ⅓ - ½ of the flavor packet. Then just toss in an abundance of freshly sautéed vegetables right before serving. Pick the veggies that seem to go best with the flavor you’re working with. Lower sodium and easy!

In the mood for snacking? How about some easy lower sodium salsa or guacamole? Just pick up some fresh or jarred salsa. Look for a brand with a relatively low sodium content. Then simply add a tub of pico de gallo from the produce section. For guacamole, smash up an avocado with some lemon or lime juice (bottled or fresh). Then add some pico de gallo and a couple of spoonfuls of salsa. Combine well, chill a bit, and serve with raw vegetables and unsalted corn chips.

Craving baked beans? B & M Original, Maple, & Vegetarian baked beans are 400 mg. sodium or less per ½ cup serving. If you add some sautéed onions and bell peppers, and garlic you can lower that number a bit. Skip cooking the beans with sausages or hot dogs. Instead, brown some ground pork or even salt-free pork chops and then simmer with the beans and the additional vegetables. Add more liquid as needed and throw in half a can or more of well rinsed and drained low sodium/no-salt-added beans.

Want chili? Unfortunately most canned chilis run close to 1000 mg. sodium per cup serving. That’s really high and difficult to modify. You’d have to read labels carefully and search for the lowest in sodium. Then you’d need to add at least one full can or more of well rinsed and drained low sodium/no-salt-added beans. While you’re in the canned vegetable department, you probably should get a can of no-salt-added corn. If you can’t find that, then be sure to grab some frozen corn to add to the chili. Finally head over to the produce section to pick up some green onions, chopped bell peppers, cilantro, and pico de gallo. Sauté the fresh vegetables in a bit of oil until softened and combine with the canned chili, the rinsed beans, and the corn. Let it all simmer a few minutes and serve with a couple additional spoonfuls of pico de gallo and a sprinkling of cilantro and/or chopped green onions. Leave off any cheese because even with the modifications, the chili probably doesn’t need any more salty additions.

Or just make a fast partially from-scratch version. Pick up some ground beef, pork, or turkey at the store. Head over to the spice section to get a sodium free chili blend and some ground cumin. Then grab a couple of cans of low sodium beans, a can of no-salt-added tomato sauce, and either a can of low sodium canned corn or a bag of frozen corn. Finally head over to the produce section to pick up some green onions, chopped bell peppers, cilantro, and pico de gallo. Sauté the fresh vegetables along with the ground meat.Add one tablespoon of chili powder and a ½ teaspoon of cumin while the meat and vegetables are sautéing. Then add the rinsed beans and corn, the can of tomato sauce, and enough water to cover. You could also include a packet or two of sodium-free beef broth granules. Let it all simmer a few minutes. Taste to see if more chili powder or cumin is needed. Serve with a couple additional spoonfuls of pico de gallo and a sprinkling of cilantro and/or chopped green onions. A dollop of sour cream might be nice too. Since this chili will be much lower than modified canned chili, you could even sprinkle on a bit of cheese.

It’s easy to see that the produce section of your local grocery store can be a great help to anyone following a low sodium diet. The abundance of pre-prepped vegetables makes using convenience foods almost acceptable. By adding all kinds of vegetables, even packaged & processed foods can fit into a low sodium diet. This is especially good news for people with busy schedules, people with limited physical abilities, people who live alone, and those with limited cooking skills.

Breaking News!

2009-08-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

Read all about it... in the Sacramento Bee. The Campbell's Soup Company has announced the goal of reducing the salt content of their popular tomato soup by 32%. The goal is to bring the sodium level to 480 mg. per serving. "...officials say cutting sodium across its hundreds of product lines is the company's top strategic priority. Consumer awareness about the potentially negative health effects of a high-sodium diet is high, and there are important marketing implications as well."

A top priority? Who could have guessed that one? And important marketing implications? Duh! The Baby Boomer generation is aging and wants to stay alive and fit forever. That means exercise, lower fat diets, AND lower sodium diets to combat high blood pressure and heart disease. I always thought the lower salt trend could be the next big "thing," similar to the low carb frenzy of a few years ago. Of course there's tremendous market appeal. Someone just had to finally figure it out. Now there's more of a chance of lower sodium products actually staying on the grocer's shelves. It gets pretty disheartening when a food producer test-drives a low salt option and then discontinues it because of poor sales . I always thought the low sodium products would do better if companies used heavy marketing to the people who are health conscience and are trying to eat for their future.

More Helpful Products

2009-08-25T10:03:00.001-07:00

As you know, I’m always on the look out for new products, and I’m especially happy when I find items in my local grocery store. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy ordering from online sources. I really get a kick out of receiving packages, sort of like a kid at Christmas. But it’s heartening to discover lower sodium products on my local grocers’ shelves. It gives me hope that eventually food producers and grocers will embrace low salt products. It’s even more fun when I discover low sodium goods in unexpected places. That why my motto is, “Always Be Checking!” Check out every store you visit even if it’s not a regular grocery/food store. You never know what you’ll discover.

For instance, just today I found some salt-free spice blends at TJ Maxx. I usually think of TJ Maxx as a clothing or home furnishings store, but I know it sells cookware and other kitchen equipment. It also has a small section devoted to an eclectic assortment of jams, coffees, vinegars, pastas, oils, and other foodstuffs. It’s a hodgepodge system – a jar of marmalade next to a couple of boxes of shortbread cookies, bags of flavored coffees piled on top of each other with several bottles of olive oil nearby. Today I looked once again at the offerings and discovered an assortment of new-to-me salt free spice blends. Months ago I had found a delicious Salmon Seasoning blend from Blue Crab Bay Co. at a local specialty foods store. Unfortunately that store has since gone out of business. Today I was delighted to find not only the Salmon Seasoning but a Garlic Herb Seasoning and a Clam Dip Blend – all salt free – at TJ Maxx. I'm especially looking forward to making some clam dip using the spice blend and just half the amount of clams normally called for in the recipe. I also found several blends from The Gourmet Collection; I picked up the Basil & Tomato blend to try out.

On a recent trip to Cost Plus World Market I discovered no-salt-added udon noodles. I immediately grabbed three packages. I’ve had no luck finding salt-free Asian noodles in my local grocery stores, so this was a great find. I’d been wanting to make a cold noodle salad but was always put off by the amount of salt present in most dried & fresh Asian noodles.

A few weeks ago we took a trip to Medford, Oregon to see our son & his family. While we were there we visited the huge Harry & David store. Well, I went nuts, as usual, buying everything in sight! I picked up my favorite Pepper & Onion Relish, a couple packages of different lentils, some dark chocolate covered coffee beans, some lime curd, and several other absolute essentials! However, I also managed to discover two salt-free products. One was a Peppercorn & Spice dispenser filled with four different pepper blends. It’s an all-in-one handy container, so it’s perfect for the kitchen table or for taking with you when dining out. It contains orange pepper, onion pepper, lemon pepper, & garlic pepper.

Months ago my daughter purchased lemon pepper flavored olive oil at our local H & D outlet. When she served us some asparagus roasted in the oil, I knew I wanted to get some myself. So I got a bottle while in Oregon. It’s a perfect oil for flavoring vegetables and fish. Good with bread too. It has the fragrance of lemon with the bite of black pepper. Simply wonderful! I’m going to ask my son to bring me a few extra bottles the next time he visits.

And finally, a couple of grocery store finds. A few days ago I was zipping through the condiment aisle and decided to take a look once again. I’m glad I did because I discovered French’s Reduced Sodium Worcestershire Sauce. It contains 45 mg. sodium per teaspoon. That’s higher than the World Harbors Angostura version that I purchase online. It has only 20 mg. per teaspoon. However, the advantage is that I can get the French's at my local grocer. I use Worcestershire Sauce in lots of things – meatloaf, meatballs, stews, gravies, etc. It adds a lot of flavor to beef dishes without adding a lot of sodium.

I also discovered 28 oz. cans of Cento All purpose Crushed Tomatoes. The ingredient list is simple: only fresh tomatoes. No preservatives, no added fat, and no added salt. What a find! Usually I can only get salt free diced tomatoes or tomato sauce. And the diced tomatoes are processed with calcium chloride and citric acid to keep the bits firm. But I don’t like firm bits; I prefer the texture of crushed tomatoes. So finding salt free crushed tomatoes was a pleasant surprise.

A couple of parting words: If you get a chance to visit one of the stores mentioned above, take a look at their low sodium offerings. Even if you don’t have a TJ Maxx, World Market, or Harry & David nearby, keep your eyes peeled whenever you go shopping, no matter what kind of store. You might just come upon a hidden trove of low sodium options. As I said before, “Always Be Checking!” You never know what you may find.

Also, remember the old saying, “Here today & gone tomorrow.” Just because your local grocer is carrying a low sodium product now, does not mean it will always be available. It’s all dependent on sales. Food producers and grocers are constantly introducing new products and discontinuing others. There are no guarantees. I know I’ve seen several products I liked come & go. That’s another reason why it’s important to “Always Be Checking!” You need to keep on top of what low sodium options are offered and grab them when you can.

And finally, be prepared to experiment with new products. As with so many things in life, some products will be hits and other will be misses. A spice blend may look good and the ingredient list may sound delicious. But when you first use it, you may discover that the taste does not appeal to you at all. Everyone’s tastes are different. So the product I rave about may, in fact, turn your stomach. I’ve tossed my own share of highly rated low sodium products after using them a few times. It’s all part of the never ending challenge of finding good low-salt options. Don’t despair, just keep exploring. It’s a grand adventure!

Low Sodium Supermarket Dining: The Produce Aisle, Part 1

2009-08-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

Grocery store produce departments have changed quite a bit in the last several years. And that’s good news for those following low sodium diets. Not only is there a plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables available now, but the variety is unbelievable too. And there are so many pre-prepped options offered for the home cook. That’s particularly good news for low sodium dieters with busy schedules, physical limitations, or minimal cooking abilities. Let’s take a look!

The refrigerated salad greens section is bursting with packages of all kinds of lettuce mixes. You can easily “gussy” up any dish by serving it on a bed of fancy salad greens. The leafy lettuces are good for you and, as an added bonus, cut down the total sodium content of a dish too. But beyond just salad greens, you’ll find packages of coleslaw mix, sliced mushrooms, spinach leaves, broccoli and cauliflower florets, sugar snap peas, snow peas, bean sprouts, baby carrots, shredded carrots, celery & carrot sticks, chopped kale and other dark & leafy greens... and more!

Depending on the store, you might even find ready-to-cook green beans, cubed butternut squash, radishes, stir-fry mixes, etc. My local stores all carry tubs of diced celery, bell peppers, and onions. They also carry tubs of pico de gallo (diced tomatoes, onions, chili peppers) and miripoix (diced onions, carrots, celery). Some stores even carry ready-to-cook potatoes! As always, you have to check the ingredient labels of these ready-to-cook packaged vegetables to make sure there is no salt added. But, happily, you’ll find that most of them are just cleaned and prepped and ready to use.

And then there are the herbs… Most supermarkets always sell bunches of parsley, cilantro, and basil. But now you can choose from an array of fresh herbs in smaller plastic snap-shut containers. The great thing about these is that you’re only buying a few sprigs. Just enough to use in one or two dishes ‒ not enough to go bad before you can use them all up. I can find fresh mint, chives, thyme, sage, rosemary, dill weed, tarragon, oregano, and more in those little packs.

Don’t forget garlic & ginger. Along with the fresh versions, most stores carry jars of whole, peeled fresh garlic in their produce department’s refrigerated section. You usually can find jars of minced and crushed garlic (packed in oil or water) displayed near the potatoes & onions. Nearby you should also find dried tomatoes, either plain and in bags or jarred packed in oil. Jars of crushed ginger are generally close at hand too. If you’re not a fan of chopping big onions, consider picking up green onions or scallions. They’re a lot easier to deal with. And, last but not least, you can get fresh lemons and limes. However, if squeezing lemons isn’t your thing, nowadays, most produce sections also carry the plastic bottles of lemon & lime juice.

You can pick up already sliced fresh apples, pineapple chunks, and even grapefruit sections in the refrigerator cases too. Sometimes you can find packages of nuts and dried fruit in the produce section too. I’ve picked up slivered and sliced almonds, along with pine nuts, pecans, walnuts, & even peanuts. I’ve found raisins, dried cranberries, dried pineapple rings, and dried apple slices there too.

OK, so I’ve proved that you can pick up a wide assortment of pre-prepped vegetables, herbs, & fruits in your local grocer’s produce department. So what? Well, these conveniently packaged produce items can make a big difference when following a low sodium diet. I’m a mainly from-scratch type cook. But I realize that not everyone trying to eat & cook low sodium has the time, skill, or inclination to prepare every meal from scratch. Sometimes we all need shortcuts. That’s where your local grocery store and the abundance of prepared produce now available in most supermarkets comes into play. Here are some examples:

It’s winter and soup sounds really good for supper. But the chief cook (let’s pretend that’s me) is under the weather. Canned soup all by itself, although convenient, is not a great option because of the high sodium content. So I write out a list for my husband. Stuff he can buy and then throw together with a minimum of fussing and a great certainty of success. From the produce aisle: Pick up some baby carrots or carrot sticks, celery sticks, green onions, jarred minced garlic, sliced mushrooms, baby spinach greens, and some fresh thyme. Then pick up a pound of lean ground beef (or turkey or chicken) from the meat section. Get a can of no-salt-added tomato sauce, a package of sodium-free beef or chicken broth granules, and a package of orzo. Maybe even a can of low sodium chicken or beef broth.

Once he gets home, I direct things from my sick bed. Chop up the carrots, green onions, & celery sticks and add them to the sautéing meat. For added nutrition and even less salt, toss in a handful some frozen vegetables from the freezer too. Pour in about three cups of water (or the can of low sodium broth and two cups of water), stir in a couple packets of beef or chicken broth granules along with a spoonful of the minced garlic and the tomato sauce. Season with some dried thyme or oregano and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and 1/3 cup of dried orzo. Continue to simmer until orzo is tender, adding more water if necessary. Toss in the spinach leaves and let them wilt. Sprinkle with the fresh herbs and add a splash of lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Voila! Fresh, tasty, & homemade low sodium soup prepared by a non-cook. Thanks to the produce aisle.

Want something even easier? Do essentially the same thing but use a can of Campbell’s Healthy Request soups to start with. Most of them weigh in at 480 mg. sodium per serving. Just simmer the chopped vegetables in a cup or two of plain water. Once the vegetables are done to your liking, add the canned soup. Heat and serve. Again, a tasty lower sodium soup, chock full of fresh vegetables but with little culinary effort. Thanks to the produce aisle.

Stew is super easy too. Just grab your favorite stewing meat (cut up beef, chicken pieces, or even pork). Then go wild in the produce section ‒ potatoes (baby or fingerling potatoes are great because you won’t have to fuss with peeling or cutting up), baby carrots, celery sticks, onions, sliced or whole mushrooms, garlic, turnips/rutabagas, green beans, squash ‒ whatever strikes your fancy. When you get home, all you need to do is brown the meat, add some liquid, and simmer until the meat is just about tender. Season the stew with your favorite dried herbs. You could even add a bit of wine to the cooking liquid. Then add the vegetables you've chosen and continue cooking until both vegetables and meat are tender and done to your liking. If you’re making beef stew, you could even include a 14 oz. can of low sodium beef broth. A couple of packets of salt-free beef broth granules would boost the beefy flavor too. Low sodium chicken broth could be used for chicken stew. If you like a gravy consistency, thicken the stew with some Wondra flour. Be sure to add plenty of freshly ground pepper and a healthy dose of your favorite fresh herbs right before serving. Once again, an easy yet hearty & tasty low sodium meal thanks to the supermarket produce department.

Hamburger Helper

2009-07-11T20:43:00.001-07:00

OK, I realize this is a strange subject when it comes to low sodium cooking. But I also recognize that sometimes people use shortcuts. There is a place for convenience, processed, and packaged foods even on a low sodium diet. Everyone is different and their needs and abilities are different too. Some people simply don't enjoy cooking, while others may have undeveloped culinary skills. Some people have physical limitations that make it difficult for them to accomplish a variety of kitchen tasks. Some live alone or with only a spouse and keeping a fully stocked pantry and fridge means wasting a lot of food. Some people work long days and the prospect of “cooking from scratch” all the time is plainly exhausting. Sometimes illness strikes and the non-cook in the family must take over. There are all kinds of reasons for using convenience foods. The challenge is making the convenience foods compatible with a low sodium diet.

Meeting that challenge has been the purpose of my “Low Sodium Supermarket Dining” series. These last couple of weeks, I’ve been in the process of writing about using pre-prepped vegetables from the produce section. I already have developed a method of dealing with packaged mixes like Rice-A-Roni or Stove Top Stuffing: I start with the low sodium versions, throw in a plethora of vegetables, and, for the rice mixes, I also add about ¼ cup of plain white rice. That got me thinking... I wondered if there was a way to lower the overall sodium content of Hamburger Helper .

I must admit that I was very skeptical. In over 40 years of cooking, I think I've only used Hamburger Helper a couple of times, maybe twenty years ago when I was teaching and my children were still at home. In spite of my doubts, I wanted to give Hamburger Helper another try just so I could write about it convincingly and with credibility. It may be a product I wouldn’t use, but I realized that it might be useful to know how to transform it into a lower sodium food. I discovered that Hamburger Helper did not have any truly lower sodium options (unlike Rice-A-Roni, Zatarain's, & Stove Top). I headed to my local grocery store and bought a package of the classic stroganoff flavor. According to the package nutrition facts, one serving prepared per directions is over 750 mgs. sodium. Here’s what I did to lower that sodium content:

I added extra pasta. I knew the noodles in the mix were super thin and, therefore, quick cooking. I also figured that boiling a big pot of water for cooking additional noodles was not exactly a time-saving step. So I decided to use fideo, a very thin noodle similar to angel hair pasta. I found it in the Mexican food section of my grocery store. It was available cut into short lengths or in long twisted knots that needed to be broken up; I chose the short cuts. In the Kosher food section I also found Manischewitz brand fine egg noodles. And in the regular pasta section, I picked up some angel hair pasta just for good measure.

While the hamburger was browning, I cooked the noodles. I measured out one cup of fine egg noodles and put it in a pan with 1 cup of water. I let it cook at a bubbling simmer until the noodles were not quite al dente, about 4-6 minutes. Then I took the pan off the heat and let the noodles sit. No boiling in a big pot of water and no draining. Pretty easy. I added the pre-cooked noodles and any residual water at the same time as the Hamburger Helper noodles were added. I’ll admit that fine egg noodles mixed with short wide curly noodles may have looked a bit funny, but I didn’t care. (Note: I’m going to try this again without pre-cooking the noodles at all. I know I’d have to add more water but maybe I can save an additional step. I’ll report back.)I omitted some of the Hamburger Helper seasoning. The flavoring comes in a packet separate from the noodles, so it was easy to remove and set aside about two tablespoons’ worth. That simple step alone removed a lot of sodium. I have to admit that I did a quick measure of the flavoring packet, and it came to between 4½ - 5 tablespoons of seasoning. By taking out 2 tbsp., I came close to cutting the sodium content in half. A benefit is that I can use the leftover seasoning to flavor my own plain noodles some other time.

I cut the quantity of milk used. The stroganoff flavored mix called for 2¼ cups of milk. I thought that was a lot, especially since milk and hamburger each add their own natural sodium. Instead I used only one cup of milk and water for the rest of the liquid. I thought the final dish was creamy enough. (As an aside, I think the amount of hamburger could be reduced too. I felt one pound of meat was too much. The amount could easily be reduced to 2/3 - 3/4 pound. That reduction would also cut down the overall sodium content.)

I added 2-3 cups chopped vegetables. At the store I picked up an 8 oz. package of sliced mushrooms since they go so well with stroganoff. At home I coarsely chopped half an onion and three summer squash from my garden. I also included four Italian green beans from my garden. I sautéed all the vegetables with the hamburger. For a super easy meal, you could use only pre-prepped vegetables from the supermarket. Or even some frozen vegetables.The final dish was much lower in sodium than if I had just followed the package directions. Plus it had a lot more nutrition thanks to the added vegetables. Obviously, the flavor was milder because I didn't use all of the seasoning packet. But my husband enjoyed it. Because of the extra noodles and vegetables, the dish also resulted in 6 good sized portions. Enough for easy leftovers to reheat. I really don’t see how one package of Hamburger Helper, made as directed, can produce 4-5 servings. I like pasta, and the noodle portion was skimpy in my opinion. I also think the meat portion was out of balance with the pasta. To improve the pasta to meat ratio, I think you’d need to either increase the noodle portion, as I did, or decrease the quantity of meat used.So, there you have it. Hamburger Helper on a low sodium diet. It can be done, and it can be easy. And you can adapt similar techniques to use with other supermarket convenience foods.

Fried Chicken

2009-06-14T13:28:00.001-07:00

Every once in a while both my husband and I get a hankering for fried chicken. What’s not to like? It’s crispy & delicious. Plus if you fix it yourself, you can also make cream gravy to smother mashed potatoes or biscuits with. I’ve tried various ways of preparing the fried chicken: just a simple flour coating; soaking in buttermilk; dredging in flour, then an egg wash dip, followed by another coating of flour; frying immediately after dredging; & even letting the coating “set” for a few minutes… Each method produced decent, tasty chicken.

Not long ago my local PBS station started showing Cook’s Country, another cooking program from the producers of America’s Test Kitchen. I happened to catch an episode devoted to fried chicken. I watched, hoping to pick up some helpful tips. The technique used was pretty close to what I was already doing but with a few tweaks.

A Soapbox Rant: I really have a problem with the present obsession with either salting or brining meat. I get tired of almost every pork or poultry recipe in almost every cooking magazine or cooking show starting with salting/brining as first step. And always accompanied by some sort of phraseology implying that the only way to ensure juicy, tender meat is to salt or brine it. The producers of Cook’s Country and Cook’s Illustrated magazines and the America’s Test Kitchen TV show are in that camp. So, of course, their fried chicken recipe begins with a buttermilk/salt brine. Naturally, I stuck with my tried and true plain buttermilk soak.

However, the recipe also included an interesting twist. The recipe testers discovered that the addition of a dribble of buttermilk mixed with the flour produced a crispy coating with delicious crunchy bits. I gave the technique a try and was quite pleased with the results. Since then, I’ve made the fried chicken two additional times, using various bone-in cuts. The recipe produces a really crispy and crunchy fried chicken. And juicy too! Even without brining in a salt solution. (By the way, the real key to tender, juicy meat is to not overcook it. Pretty simple! A good instant and probe thermometer are valuable tools.)

Here’s the Cook’s Country recipe and my notes:

Extra-Crunchy Fried Chicken
6/2004

Making fried chicken at home can be a messy, time-consuming affair. And rarely is the crust as crunchy as that of fast-food fried chicken. We wanted to make juicy, rich tasting fried chicken at home without the big mess and with a crust as crunchy as KFC. Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

Brine the chicken in heavily salted buttermilk to keep it moist and make it well seasoned. In this case, buttermilk replaces the water for a richer flavor. An hour’s soak seasons the meat to the bone. (I usually soak chicken pieces in buttermilk for at least two hours and often overnight.)
After trying everything from Melba toast to pancake batter for the crunchy coating, we found a completely unexpected method works best. Combine flour with a little baking powder, and then add buttermilk to make a thick slurry, which clings tightly to the meat.
Fry the chicken with the lid on the pot for half the cooking time to contain the spatter-prone oil, and to keep the oil hot. As an added bonus, the lid appears to make the meat moister. (I’ve always done this.)
Shortening provides the cleanest flavor and least-greasy chicken; peanut oil’s a close second. (I prefer oil, usually grapeseed or a light olive oil.)

Keeping the oil at the correct temperature is essential to producing crunchy fried chicken that is neither too brown nor too greasy. Use a candy/deep-fry thermometer to check the temperature of the oil before you add the chicken. (I just drop a crumb from the flour coating into the oil. When it starts bubbling in the hot oil, I know the temperature is OK.) If you cannot find a chicken that weighs 3 1/2 pounds or less, or if you don't have a pan that is 11 inches in diameter, you will have to fry the chicken in two batches. Follow the recipe, frying the chicken four pieces at a time and keeping the first batch warm in a 200-degree oven while the second batch is cooking. If you want to produce a slightly healthier version of this recipe, you can remove the skin from the chicken before soaking it in the buttermilk. The chicken will be slightly less crunchy.

2 cups buttermilk plus 6 additional tablespoons (I use Knudsen brand, a very low sodium product)
2 tablespoons table salt (I omitted all this salt)
1 whole chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds, cut into 8 pieces (I usually fry bone-in thighs, sometimes bone-in breasts, & sometimes boneless, skinless breasts)
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder (I used Hain Featherweight, a sodium free product)
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme (I used about 1 tsp.)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
(I also added 1 tsp. Tony Chachere’s Salt Free Seasoning)
4 - 5 cups vegetable shortening or peanut oil (I used only about ¼ - ⅓ inch of oil)

1. Whisk together 2 cups buttermilk and salt in large bowl until salt is dissolved. Add chicken pieces to bowl and stir to coat; cover bowl with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. Don't let chicken soak much longer or it will become too salty. (I used enough buttermilk to completely cover the chicken pieces and seasoned it with a dash of Tabasco. I let the chicken soak for at least two hours.)

2. Whisk flour, baking powder, thyme, pepper, and garlic powder together in large bowl. Add remaining 6 tablespoons buttermilk (I used a little less, closer to 3-4 tablespoons); with your fingers rub flour and buttermilk together until buttermilk is evenly incorporated into flour and mixture resembles coarse wet sand.

3. Working in batches of two, drop chicken pieces into flour mixture and turn to thoroughly coat, gently pressing flour mixture onto chicken. Shake excess flour from each piece of chicken and transfer to wire rack set over rimmed baking sheet.

4. Heat oil (it should measure 3/4 inch deep) in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven with 11-inch diameter over medium-high heat until it reaches 375 degrees. [I used a 12 inch frying pan and poured in only about ¼ - ⅓ inch of oil. I did not use a thermometer.] Place chicken pieces, skin-side down, in oil, cover, and fry until deep golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove lid after 4 minutes and lift chicken pieces to check for even browning; rearrange if some pieces are browning faster than others. (At this point, oil should be about 300 degrees. Adjust burner, if necessary, to regulate temperature of oil.) Turn chicken pieces over and continue to fry, uncovered, until chicken pieces are deep golden brown on second side, 6 to 8 minutes longer. (At this point, to keep chicken from browning too quickly, adjust burner to maintain oil temperature of about 315 degrees.) Using tongs, transfer chicken to plate lined with paper towels; let stand for 5 minutes to drain. Serve.

A Fabulous Creamy Salad Dressing

2009-05-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

I've always enjoyed The Old Spaghetti Factory's Creamy Pesto Salad Dressing. A few weeks ago I met a friend there for lunch and requested the creamy pesto dressing for my side salad. That lead me to look online for a copycat recipe. I found the same clone recipe all over the place including at CD Kitchen. I decided to try it. However I made some changes. I cut the quantities of oil and mayonnaise -- the oil to lessen calories and the mayo to lessen calories & salt content. I also cut the amount of dried basil because there was less dressing base that needed flavoring. Here's the clone:

The Old Spaghetti Factory Creamy Pesto Dressing

Ingredients:

3/4 cup oil (I used only 1/4 cup)
1 cup mayonnaise (I used only 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup buttermilk (I used Knudsen brand* -- really low sodium [130 mg./cup])
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
2 tablespoons crushed dried basil (I used 1 tbsp. dried and 2 Dorot cubes)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I omitted completely)
1 clove garlic, minced
Hot pepper sauce

Directions:

Whisk together oil and mayonnaise. Add buttermilk, cheese, basil, salt, garlic and hot pepper sauce to taste. Mix thoroughly. Cover and let flavors meld overnight in refrigerator.

*If you live in the eastern, southeastern and midwestern United States, Knudsen is known by the Breakstone's name.

I originally made the dressing just for me because I thought my husband might not like the predominant basil flavor. I was wrong! He tasted it and wanted some on his salad too. He doesn't care much for vinaigrette dressings. The sour vinegar taste just doesn't appeal to him. I was quite happy to find a creamy concoction that was tasty, low salt, and not brimming with calories. The only drawback was that the water in the buttermilk separated, and because I used less mayo, it was thin. It needed work.

In the meantime, I remembered a discussion on the Recipe Exchange forum about copycat recipes. One of the posters suggested trying to find a particular copycat recipe cookbook at the local library. So I picked up Todd Wilbur's Even More Top Secret Recipes from my county library. It was fun checking out the many recipes. In fact, it even had a clone for the chili sauce used at Original Tommy's. That's my uncle's hamburger restaurant chain in Los Angeles.

Two copycat recipes caught my eye -- The Carl's Jr. Bacon Swiss Crispy Chicken Sandwich
and the Ranch Crispy Chicken Sandwich. The thing that intrigued me was Todd's use of unflavored gelatin in the sandwich spread. I figured it thickened and stabilized the ranch dressing used in both sandwiches. I wondered if it would work for the creamy pesto salad dressing clone.

I've been experimenting for some time now with various salad dressing thickeners in an attempt to cut calories without sacrificing texture. Several months ago I wrote about my attempts with Sure-Jell. It's a good thickener, but it's got citric acid in it. So it makes things extra sour. That's OK for some uses, like vinaigrette salad dressings, as long as you remember to cut the vinegar quantity some. I also experimented with xanthan gum and gua r gum, both available at most health food stores and widely used in gluten-free baking. The gums worked fine as thickeners, but, all by themselves, they had kind of "off" flavors. So I continued looking. I even sent away to King Arthur Flour for some ClearJel. It also worked fine, and it had no discernible flavor.

When I read about the gelatin, I knew I had to give it a try. So I made up another batch of the creamy pesto dressing. This time I changed the recipe even more to lower calories and salt content. The gelatin worked out perfectly. It thickened the dressing and kept it from separating. It did not have a gummy texture, and there was no unusual flavor. Plus unflavored gelatin is readily available at all grocery stores. The next day, I was afraid I had made basil flavored jello, but all it took was a quick whisk and the dressing was ready to go. The best thing about this experiment is that now I have a really great low calorie and low salt creamy dressing base. I can change out the basil for any number of herbs and flavorings. Creamy Italian, Creamy Peppercorn, Blue Cheese, Ranch...

Here's what I ended up with:

1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream (If you don't have sour cream available, use mayo)
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. dried basil
2 cubes Dorot frozen chopped basil
2 tbsp. finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1-2 tbsp. hot water

Whisk together all ingredients except gelatin and water. In a small bowl, combine hot tap water and gelatin. Microwave in five second increments, stirring frequently, until gelatin is completely dissolved. Whisk gelatin mixture into dressing. Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. Whisk before serving.

Soy Sauce Studies

2009-05-18T16:29:00.000-07:00

Soy sauce is a great flavoring agent. It’s perfect, of course, for Asian inspired dishes. But it’s also great in beef dishes. Before CHF (congestive heart failure) affected my cooking approach, I always added a tablespoon or so of soy sauce to beef stew, pot roast, Swedish style meatballs, even super simple hamburger gravy. The addition of a bit of soy sauce boosted the “beefiness” of those and other dishes. It’s the umami , a basic flavor profile that is common to savory products such as meat, cheese, and mushrooms.

What’s the problem with using soy sauce? It’s as salty as all get out! Even the so-called low sodium versions are pretty high in sodium content. When it comes to “heart healthy” recipes and products, soy sauce is ever present. It’s understandable because it does add so much flavor. It makes a terrific marinade for all kinds of super lean cuts of meat. You can make tasty stir-fries with just a smidgen of meat and an overload of good-for-you veggies. But… Just because a dish is low in fat, doesn’t mean it’s necessarily “heart healthy.” Anyone suffering from hypertension, CHF, and other heart-related problems knows that controlling sodium intake is important too.

A quick look at the soy sauce options readily available at most grocery stores are pretty discouraging. Kikkoman regular soy sauce has 920 mg. of sodium for just one tablespoon. Its lite or reduced sodium version has 575 mg. per tablespoon. Better but definitely not great. San-J Tamari has similar numbers: the regular is 960 mg. for one tablespoon while the reduced sodium version has 700 mg. per tablespoon.

Are there any decent alternatives out there? Well, one possibility is making your own low sodium soy sauce substitute. Dick Logue of Low Sodium Cooking has come up with a tasty substitute. I’ve made it a couple of times and adjusted some of the ingredients to fit my tastes, mainly lessening the vinegar & molasses quantities. The biggest difficulty I had was that the recipe made about 2 cups of substitute and I simply could not use it up quickly enough. So, even though it was refrigerated, it eventually developed a bit of mold. Commercially bottled soy sauce has a much longer shelf life; it can truly last indefinitely.

I’ve read posts on so many forums touting the low sodium content of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos and its use as a soy sauce alternative. Bragg’s products are readily available in the natural foods sections of most grocery stores and at most health food stores. The problem is that most of the people hyping the low sodium properties of Bragg’s haven’t done the math correctly. The Bragg’s current website notes that ½ teaspoon is considered one serving, and that ½ teaspoon contains 160 mg. sodium. It takes six of those ½ teaspoons to equal one tablespoon, the standard serving size for soy sauce. 6 x 160 mg. = 960 mg. per tablespoon of Bragg’s. I don’t see how that can be considered a truly low salt alternative unless it is so heavily concentrated that you need only use a couple of teaspoons. If you’re curious about Bragg’s, the website has a free sample offer. You might consider sending for the samples and making your own judgment.

Another possibility is Chinese Black Vinegar. I’ve read on a couple of forums that some people think it’s a good substitute for soy sauce. I’ve used it before, and it does add a nice flavor component to Asian style dishes. The biggest problem with black vinegar is availability. You either have to shop at an Asian grocery store or order it online.

The idea of shopping at an Asian market, if you've got one nearby, is a good one. That way you could spend hours searching the aisles and checking labels. You might discover some hitherto unknown brands of soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, etc. with very low sodium contents. It could be a lot of fun.

All is not lost, however. Years ago I discovered World Harbors Angostura Lite Soy Sauce. It had 390 mg. of sodium per tablespoon. Compared to the 575 mg. of lower sodium Kikkoman, it was a great improvement. My local grocer, Raley’s, carried it along with Angostura Teriyaki and Worcestershire Sauces. Unfortunately, by the time my husband was diagnosed with CHF, the grocery store had discontinued the lite soy sauce. Happily, I re-discovered it when I started searching online for low sodium products. Healthy Heart Market carries it.

Recently I ordered a couple of bottles of House of Tsang Lower Sodium Soy Sauce from SaltWatcher. This soy sauce has 300 mg. sodium per tablespoon, a slight improvement over the Angostura brand. I haven’t used it yet, but I’m sure it will taste fine. I have confidence in House of Tsang products since I already have & use their Mongolian Fire Oil. At the same time, I also ordered a couple of bottles of Seal Sama Less Sodium Teriyaki Sauce from SaltWatcher. It has only 160 mg. sodium per tablespoon. I’ve used it a couple of times now and really like it. The flavor is good and the consistency is thick, so it makes a good glaze.

I also just noticed that Heart Wise Foods sells a super low sodium soy sauce, Chinatown brand. It has only 145 mg. per tablespoon. Now that’s super low! I’m going to order some and give it a taste test. Heart Wise also carries a low sodium teriyaki sauce that I’d like to try. It’s Sable & Rosenfeld - Tipsy Teriyaki - Gourmet Sauce with only 135 mg. sodium for two tablespoons.

If you’re interested in creating low sodium Asian style dishes & stir fries, you’ll need some other flavoring ingredients in addition to just soy sauce. Toasted sesame oil is a must. A drizzle on top of finished dishes or in marinades adds a wonderful toasted, nutty flavor. Most grocery stores carry at least one brand in the ethnic foods aisle. Another must-have is unseasoned rice wine vinegar. Combined with other flavoring agents, it adds extra sparkle. Hot chili oil and/or red pepper flakes are also necessary. Just the slightest sprinkle enlivens bland dishes. Of course, if you like hot foods, add more.

Ginger & garlic are other requirements. Both flavors are necessary for Asian style dishes. And it doesn’t matter how you get that flavor. You can find powdered ginger or garlic powder everywhere. Most grocery stores carry jarred crushed ginger and jarred crushed garlic in their produce section. Usually the bottled garlic & ginger are prepared without salt. Many stores now carry the Christopher Ranch whole peeled garlic cloves in the refrigerated section of their produce department. And some stores carry Gourmet Garden fresh herb pastes in handy tubes. These are usually found in the refrigerated section of the produce department. Watch out, though. Be sure to read the labels. Although the product is super convenient, the chili & garlic pastes are relatively high in sodium. However, the ginger and cilantro/coriander pastes are pretty good. And, in order to create a consistency useful for squeezing out of a tube, fillers have been added so the herbal flavor may not be as strong as desired. Of course, there’s always fresh ginger & fresh heads of garlic.

Cilantro is another flavoring agent that works well in Asian style dishes. A generous sprinkling of the freshly chopped herb really boosts taste. Although fresh cilantro is best used as a finishing garnish, I have also thrown a couple of tablespoons of my own homemade frozen chopped cilantro into marinades & stir fries. Not as good as fresh, but better than no cilantro at all.

Another handy ingredient is Chinese Five Spice Powder This spice blend most commonly combines the sweet tones of star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon with the bite of Szechwan pepper and sometimes white pepper. The sweet and pungent flavor goes well with meats and stir fries. Be forewarned, though. A little goes a long way. So you’re better off using just a ⅛ teaspoon to start with until you’re sure you like the flavor. It's also available in the ethnic foods section of most grocery stores.

The bottom Line: If you make your own lower sodium soy sauce substitute, then “the sky’s the limit.” You don’t have to worry about soy sauce quantities at all. Just be sure to watch out for other Asian ingredients that are high in sodium. Things like Hoisin sauce, Oyster sauce, Thai fish sauce, garlic/chili paste, etc.

If you'd prefer using a commercially prepared lower sodium soy sauce, look for Asian inspired recipes that do not call for more than ¼ cup of soy sauce. Instead of the ¼ cup, just use 2 tablespoons of low sodium soy sauce.

And, of course, please realize that lower sodium soy sauces or soy sauce substitutes will NOT taste as good as the higher quality, authentic Chinese or Japanese sauces. But they will taste pretty good and they will definitely be lower in sodium.

Here’s a basic stir fry sauce & marinade recipe. Obviously, you can change the quantities to please your palate:

Basic Stir Fry Sauce/Marinade

1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp. minced garlic (or more)
1 tbsp. minced ginger
¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp. brown sugar
⅛ tsp. hot chili oil (or more)
¼ tsp. white pepper
2 tsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp. water
⅛ tsp. 5 spice powder (optional)
Chopped fresh cilantro (garnish)

For Pour-On Sauce: Heat the sesame oil in a small saucepan. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry 15-30 seconds over medium heat to bring out the flavor. Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, chili oil, white pepper, and vinegar (Add 5 spice powder, if using). Bring just to a boil, stirring. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and whisk into the sauce. Heat until sauce thickens and reaches a full boil. Simmer for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and set aside.

For Marinade: Combine all the ingredients and mix until well blended. Add ½ pound thinly sliced raw chicken, pork, or turkey (cut while slightly frozen to easily obtain thin slices). Let meat marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to two hours. (Sometimes I add the marinade to ½ ground beef, turkey or chicken instead of sliced meat.) Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in sauté pan or wok, add meat and stir fry until cooked through.

If you add thinly sliced vegetables such as onions, carrots, celery, cabbage, etc. to the cooked marinated meat and add left-over cooked rice, you end up with a delicious one pot meal.

Low Sodium Supermarket Dining: The Refrigerated Foods Aisle -- Part 2

2009-05-09T01:46:00.000-07:00

Just as a reminder, the goal of this series of posts is to find ways to create a truly low sodium diet using regular grocery store products, including convenience & processed foods. Together we’ll “visit” the different aisles of a typical grocery store and discover how many easily available items can be used and modified to fit a low sodium diet. This stop, we’ll finish visiting Refrigerated Foods:

Fully Cooked Sausage

Fully cooked sausages, like Hillshire Farms brand products, are difficult to deal with. Most 2 ounce servings range from a “low” of 450 mg. up to more than 700 mg. The only way to use such a product is to limit yourself to working with the minimum serving size for one, usually 1 link or 2 ounces.

You can create a skillet dinner for 2 by sautéing some sliced or chopped potatoes, onions, and bell pepper strips in a bit of oil and then tossing in some thinly sliced or chopped sausage a few minutes before serving. Obviously, the more potatoes you use, the better for you sodium-wise. To save time & effort, you can even use frozen hash browns likes the Ore-Ida Southern Style or Potatoes O’Brian. They’re both unsalted and ready to use. You could use other vegetables too. Cabbage goes really well with sausages. Be sure to divide the resulting dish into at least 2 equal servings and try to have everything else you serve with that meal very low sodium. This kind of sauté will give you the sausage taste but with a lot less sodium.

You could do the same thing by tossing the sausage with different kinds of pasta or rice. Add the sliced or chopped sausage as toppings for low sodium soups right before serving. That way you can control the amount of sausage for each serving. Do the same with cooked bean dishes. You can also sprinkle sliced or chopped sausage on pizza or a main dish salad. By slicing the sausage thinly, you stretch the flavor. Just make sure that everything else in the meal is made with low sodium ingredients. Freeze unused sausage in serving size portions for use another time.

Be sure to check out specialty sausages like Applegate Farms and Al Fresco. Their sausages are usually in links, and some, especially the sweeter versions like chicken & apple, can be between 400-500 mg. per link. Also the specialty brands have some really interesting flavor combinations. Stretching one link to create 2 servings will give you the sausage flavor without the salt overload.

The key to using fully cooked sausages is to use them only as a flavoring agent. If you’re on a low sodium diet, the days of having a couple of huge chunks of sausage at one meal are over. But you can still enjoy the sausage taste from time to time.

Hot Dogs

Speaking of fully cooked sausages… Grocery store hot dogs are just as problematic as other fully cooked sausages. Checking the labels is imperative. You can slice or dice up a single hot dog to flavor beans and soups. As with the other fully cooked sausages, stretching one link to create 2 servings is necessary in order to avoid salt overload.

When it comes to the all-American hot dog sandwich, you will have to limit yourself to just one link and make sure everything else you eat that day is really low in sodium. No jumbo dogs or bun-sized dogs either. The good news is that I’ve been able to find a few readily available brands that have less than 500 mgs. per hot dog: Hebrew National Beef 97% Fat Free (400 mg./link), Hebrew National Beef Reduced Fat (360 mg./link); Oscar Mayer Light (380 mg./link), Oscar Mayer Beef and Oscar Mayer 98% Fat Free (470 mg./link); and Ball Park Lite (460 mg./link), Ball Park Fat Free (420 mg./link). If you’re a hot dog aficionado, you might want to conduct a taste test to determine which frankfurter appeals the most to you. Obviously, eating a hot dog sandwich can’t be an every day occurrence, but it can be a special treat every once in a while.

Packaged Deli Meats

What an assortment to choose from… Yet hardly any are low sodium! You will find package after package touting their low fat content and many sporting the American Heart Association seal of approval. As though lowering fat was the only consideration for heart health! And don’t even get me started on the packaging labels. Some serving sizes are per slice while other are per ounce and still others are per gram. What’s a shopper to do?

The bottom line, though, is that most deli meat products are so high in sodium that you’d have to restrict yourself to only one slice or just a couple of those super skinny slices per sandwich. By the time you pile on lettuce, tomato, onions, mustard, & mayo on the bread, the flavor of the luncheon meat will be lost. What’s the point? You might as well just make yourself a veggie sandwich or a Swiss cheese sandwich. Nevertheless, if you really crave a deli type sandwich, read the labels carefully and try to limit yourself to between 200 – 350 mg. sodium for the meat portion of your sandwich. That may mean just one slice of deli meat or it may mean just a portion of the supposed serving size (only 2-3 slices instead of 4-6 slices).

You may be fortunate enough to find low sodium salami. Gallo makes a dry salami product that’s only 260 mg. sodium for five slices. So one serving of Gallo low sodium salami is actually better than a single serving of Hillshire Farms 99% Fat Free Honey Roasted Turkey (770 mg. sodium per 2 oz. serving). Columbus also makes a low sodium salami with 290 mg. for a 5 slice serving. And salami is very tasty, so you could make yourself a salami sandwich using only four slices and still get a flavor punch.

Low sodium salami is great for pizza too. And julienned salami adds a lot to an entrée salad: lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, low sodium garbanzo beans, homemade croutons, chopped hard cooked egg, fresh mozzarella chunks, salami strips, and salt free Italian dressing. Served with low sodium crackers or bread. What a great summertime meal!

Fresh Salsa

Salsa can be a wonderful addition to a low sodium diet. It adds so much flavor and texture, especially when it’s the fresh variety. Most grocery stores carry a variety of fresh salsa brands, so the trick is checking the labels and finding the one that is lowest in sodium content. My personal favorite is La Mexicana Mild Salsa with only 75 mg. sodium for a 2 tbsp. serving. A tablespoon or two spooned on top of grilled chicken or fish is wonderful. You can serve salsa with scrambled eggs or use it as an omelet filling. You can use it to top a bowl of chili or Mexican flavored soup. The possibilities are endless. You can make a great guacamole dip by just smashing up some avocados and adding some fresh salsa. Now that’s something low in sodium that you can dip no-salt-added corn chips into. If you want to extend the salsa for some serious dipping, add some freshly chopped tomato or even some chopped low sodium canned tomatoes. Throw in some unsalted pico de gallo from the produce department. You could even add a bit of olive oil and some lemon/lime juice.

With a little creativity, imagination, and determination, even the refrigerated aisle of your local grocery store offers some opportunities for low sodium dining.

Basket of Bran

2009-04-28T20:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, I’m still searching for the “perfect” bran muffin recipe. I’d really like a copycat recipe for the Van de Kamp’s bakery bran muffins of my youth.

Van de Kamp’s was a bakery/restaurant chain in the greater Los Angeles area that also sold its products in local grocery stores. I have fond memories of munching all kinds of their baked goodies. But, believe it or not, my all time favorite was their bran muffins. Dark, moist, and slightly orange flavored. They had a perfect texture, not too dense and not at all dry. But, alas, several years ago Van de Kamp’s was sold, and I’ve not been able to find a comparable bran muffin.

A few weeks ago my daughter & I had lunch at Mimi’s Café. My soup & salad lunch came with a choice of muffin, and, of course, I chose the bran muffin. I always get it because, even though it’s not a Van de Kamp’s, it’s pretty good. Dark & dense, fairly moist, with a great glaze. It’s served like a pineapple upside down cake so the glaze can drip down the sides of the huge muffin. I decided then & there to start looking for a copycat recipe. I found two that I tried. After a taste test, the clear winner was a recipe from The Recipe Link. This Mimi’s clone tastes great. The glaze takes eating a bran muffin to an entirely new level of enjoyment. Instead of “…I’ve got to eat this for my health,” it’s “…I want to eat this for the yummy taste!”

Here are the changes I made to the Recipe Link recipe: I used King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour instead of regular All Purpose flour. I omitted the dry milk powder and water and used 1/2 cup of buttermilk. Of course, I totally omitted the salt and used sodium free baking powder. And, since I like orange flavoring, I increased the grated orange zest to 1 teaspoon. For the glaze, I used butter instead of shortening and 1 tablespoon each of dark corn syrup & honey.

I also found another more traditional bran muffin recipe at RecipeZaar. It’s got the addition of old fashioned rolled oats along with the bran and is quite moist. I made changes to this recipe too: I omitted the salt, used sodium free baking powder, and King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour. The recipe calls for some bread flour, but I wouldn't use such a high gluten flour in a muffin. Because I like the favor of orange better, I used the rind of one large orange instead of lemon rind. And I did not use any nuts or dried fruit. However, the biggest change I made was in oven temperature. The batter is refrigerated overnight. It's supposed to be baked at 400 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. Because of the cold batter, the first batch I made required several additional minutes of bake time. This resulted in a crispy, crunchy, over-baked final product. I like over-browned cookies, etc., so I liked the crispy & caramelized muffins. But others might prefer a more traditional muffin. I've since changed the temperature to 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. That's worked out just fine. One nice thing about this recipe is that it makes 24 muffins at a time, and the batter can be refrigerated for a couple of days with no ill effects.

Even though I liked the two new bran muffin recipes, I was getting tired of the sweetness factor. I started looking for something more like a yeast dinner roll but packed with bran. I found just the recipe I wanted on the Hodgson Mill website. It’s a great bread recipe that I’ve been using now for a couple of months. Instead of a bread loaf, I make dinner rolls. After baking, I separate them into portions for two and then freeze them. I can quickly reheat them in the microwave. They’re great as dinner rolls, snacks, and even breakfast. I have made other very nice whole wheat dinner roll recipes, but this is my favorite to keep on hand for just “family” use because of the added bran.

Hodgson Mills High Fiber Bran Bread

1 1/2 c. warm water
2 tbsp. powdered milk
2 tbsp. oil
2 tbsp. molasses
2 tbsp. honey
1 1/2 tsp. salt (I used only 1 tsp. salt)
(I added 2 tbsp. vital wheat gluten. I put the gluten into the bottom of my measuring cup when measuring the flour.)
2 1/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c. bread flour
1 c. wheat bran
2 tsp. active dry yeast (To compensate for the reduced salt, I used 1 3/4 tsp yeast; if I had used the full measure of salt, I would have used 2 1/4 tsp.yeast; I think 2 tsp. is not enough for all that whole wheat flour & bran)

I used the "dough" setting on my bread machine to knead & proof the dough. I checked the dough's consistency during the "knead" cycle. Even though it felt fine, I added a tablespoon of water just because I know that whole wheat flour and bran can suck up moisture. When the "rise" cycle started, I rubbed some oil onto all the exposed surfaces of the dough ball and misted it with water. That kept the dough ball from developing a "skin."

I divided the dough into 15 pieces, weighing each piece (approximately 2 1/4 oz. each) so all the rolls were of a uniform size. (I've also made 18 smaller rolls, 2 oz. each, using this recipe.) By using a Silpat baking mat, I've found that I don't need to add additional flour for rolling and shaping. That keeps the dough softer and it doesn't dry out. After shaping and placing in a greased baking pan, I covered the rolls with plastic wrap and let them rise for about an hour. Before baking, I brushed the tops with cream.

I baked them at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes. I always check the bottoms of rolls or buns before removing them from the oven. If I don't think the bottom is done enough, I'll take the pan off the oven rack and put it directly onto the baking stone for 3-5 minutes. After baking, I immediately remove the rolls from the pan and place them on a rack to cool.

Mole Poblano Sauce

2009-04-21T19:32:00.001-07:00

I honestly cannot remember when I first had Mexican Mole Poblano Sauce. All I know is that I fell in love with it a long time ago. I love the combination of chilies, cocoa, cinnamon, & ground nuts. Years ago I used to buy a special mole mix made by La Victoria. The dry powdery mix came in a small can and was so easy to use. Unfortunately, La Victoria stopped making that product. I've tried other brands of jarred mole pastes, but, even though the flavor was good, the dry & super dense pastes were hard to work with.

A few years ago my local newspaper, The Sacramento Bee, published a copycat version of the La Victoria mix. Many thanks to Teresa Hoswell of Fair Oaks, CA, who contacted the company and was sent the recipe for making a homemade mole mix.

One of the great things about this mix is that it's so easy to put together. For someone on a low sodium diet, it's a perfect sauce choice. Very flavorful even without salt. It's great made with chicken or turkey. I usually use chicken thighs, but tonight I used chicken half-breasts. In the past I've used turkey thighs and even turkey drumsticks. It's wonderful for using up leftover chicken or turkey. Something to remember after Thanksgiving.

The chicken/turkey is braised until tender and cooked through. I usually add some finely chopped onion that has been sauteed in a bit of olive oil along with 1-2 cloves of crushed garlic. I braise the meat and aromatics in low sodium chicken broth for about 15-20 minutes before adding the mole mix. Then I simmer everything together until the meat is fully cooked and tender, another 15-20 minutes. I remove the meat and simmer the sauce uncovered until it is thickened. Sometimes I'll add a cornstarch slurry. I like to serve mole with brown rice.

Here's the recipe with my notes:

Mole Sauce Mix
La Victoria Copy Cat Recipe/Sacramento Bee

3 tbsp. chili powder (I use an unsalted chili powder mix like Gebhardt or Grandma's)
1 tbsp. finely ground breadcrumbs
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt (I omitted)
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp. cocoa
2 tbsp plus 1 tsp. creamy peanut butter (I use Laura Scudder's Old Fashioned Unsalted Natural Peanut Butter)
1 tsp vegetable oil

Mix chili powder, breadcrumbs, sugar, salt, cinnamon, & cocoa together. Blend peanut butter & oil into dry mixture. (I use a fork to blend the peanut butter & oil into the spice mixture.) This mixture may be refrigerated and stored in a tightly covered container. Makes about ¼ cup.

To Make Sauce: Blend the mix and 2 cups chicken broth or water in a saucepan. Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently until thickened as desired.

Low Sodium Supermarket Dining: The Refrigerated Foods Aisle -- Part 1

2009-04-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

Tis the Season... For Matzos!

2009-04-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung. That means Passover and Easter are just around the corner. And our local grocery stores have geared up for these two important religious holidays. There are aisles dedicated to Easter candy -- Peeps, chocolate bunnies, and creme filled eggs. There are hams in the meat section and hot cross buns in the bakery. You can find Easter baskets, plush stuffed bunny & chick toys, and egg dying kits.

You'll also find an expanded selection of Kosher foods. All my local supermarkets have special end-of-the-aisle displays for Passover. Several different kinds of matzos, matzo meal, potato pancake mix, jars of borscht and gefilte fish, macaroons, and my personal favorite -- toasted coconut marshmallows.

Passover commemorates "The Exodus" from Ancient Egypt and the liberation of the Israelites from slavery. The Old Testament teaches that when Pharaoh finally freed the Israelites, they left in such a hurry that they could not wait for bread to rise. Flat bread, matzo, is a reminder of the rapid departure of the Exodus. For the duration of Passover, also called The Feast of the Unleavened Bread, no leavened bread is eaten.

For people watching their sodium intake, the larger supermarket selection of matzos at Passover is really good news. Matzos are a thin crispy cracker-like product (similar to Carr's water crackers). They come in 7 x 7 inch squares and are usually fairly low in salt. During Passover, I like to stock up on them. Last week I picked up a box of Manischewitz Whole Wheat Matzos. No sodium whatsoever! I also got a box of Osem Egg & Onion Matzah, just 5.5 mg. sodium for one entire cracker.

Matzoh crackers are usually simple in flavor but with a lot of crunch. So they're a great foil for tasty dips and spreads. Homemade hummus or white bean pate are wonderful served with matzos. The same goes for homemade onion dip, guacamole, salsa, cottage cheese spread, etc. To tell the truth, I love matzos spread with butter. You can even use them to make quick pizza snacks. A smear of tomato sauce, a sprinkle of cheese, and broil until bubbly.

Another great product is matzo meal. It's made up of crushed, ground matzo crackers and is a perfect substitute for breadcrumbs because it's usually sodium free. You can use it in meatloaf, for crumb toppings, for dredging chicken or fish. Last week I also picked up a couple of canisters of Manischewitz Matzo Meal for those summer months when I'm too hot to think about baking low sodium bread just for crumbs. Matzo meal is a great alternative to store bought bread crumbs.

As with everything, be sure to check the labels. Some of the flavored matzos are almost as high in sodium as Nabisco brand products. But the simpler plain, egg, and whole wheat matzos are usually perfect for low sodium diets.